3/20/12

It Gets Better video for parents with Trans kids



I like that this video shows happy, healthy kids with families that made it through trans.  I also like that they spoke about the fear of not knowing what other people's reactions will be, because really that's been the scariest part for me.  There's so much fear around what others think and how that might impact me or my person...for me the relationship I have with him and how much I care about him has showed me that what he's doing is what is right for him and it shouldn't have anything to do with what other people think or want for him.

I also like that there is a mention of not blaming parents or lifestyle factors.  Being "transgendered" is not something that happens to you, gender is just who you are.  There aren't definitive causes, it's simply another way of being in the world.  Most of the other trans kids interviews and specials have had the "trapped in the wrong body" logic...that transgender kids and people are simply trapped and need to be freed. I don't think that's always true.

For many trans folks there is a strong discomfort in their body and disconnection.  For others, I think it's simply a matter of feeling one way and having the body do something that disagrees with that feeling.  For me, it's been helpful to equate this with my own struggle with weight or body image (although completely different, I just like to make connections to my own experience to better understand).

I am not stuck in the wrong body because my body doesn't look how I want it to or because society tells me it should look differently...I am living in this body and there are certain steps that I can take in order to help my body allign with my identity (exercising, clothing choices, or eating healthier, etc) to feel more authentic and comfortable in my own skin.

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