May Part 1 of 1: When Parenting A Trans Child

This is a single session with our guest May.  May is married to Charlie and they have a child named Jack.  Jack is 13 years old and was assigned female at birth, but identifies as they/him and approached May to start calling them Jack in middle school. May, who is wonderfully supportive of Jack, finds herself struggling to be the mediator between Jack and the conservative members of their family, including Jack’s father, Charlie. In this episode, May’s story will help us consider how we can best help a child navigate the complexities of gender identity and the associated stigmas. 

CW:  Brief mention of Self-harm and Statistics on Suicide in LGBTQ youth

For a full transcript of this episode and more information about the host visit https://lesliecohenrubury.com/podcasts/ . You can also follow Leslie’s work on Facebook and Instagram. Join the conversation with your own questions and parenting experiences.

Time stamps: 
15:10 Finding common ground between parent and child

16:16 Different ways of responding to a problem

25:00 Creating a validating environment

27:00 Buddhist meditation:  Have strong back and soft heart

40:10 Feel the fear and do it anyways

Leslie-ism: Keep in mind advocacy starts at home

Show Note Links:

• Call 988 - Suicide and crisis hotline. Available 24 hours.  If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts.
• LGBTQ+ Resources 
  • https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ 
  • https://glaad.org/transgender/resources/
  • https://thesafezoneproject.com/resources/vocabulary/
• Research on a validating environment for the well being of LGBTQ youth
• Quotes on Courage including Maya Angelou’s
• Brene Brown’s Strong Backs, Soft fronts + Wild Hearts on Unlocking Us Podcast
• Strong Back, Soft Heart meditation by Roshi Joan Halifax starting at 27:35 on Omega’s podcast.
• Handout on the Five Ways Solve to a Problem 

Credits: Is My Child a Monster? is produced by Alletta Cooper, Dale Rubury, and LeslieCohen-Rubury. Theme music is by L-Ray Music. Public relations is handled by Gabriela Glueck. Graphics and Website Design by Brien O’Reilly. Transcriptions by Eric Rubury. A special thanks to everyone who contributes their wisdom and support to make this possible.