I recently attended the Gender Spectrum Family Conference in Seattle. (I led a workshop, “Chronicling Your Story,” for parents of gender-nonconforming children wanting to write about their experience.) There, I met parents from all over the US and Canada, parents with kids just like mine.
I heard from parents who struggle with how to support their children in school, deal with bullying on the playground, and work with their schools to make bathrooms safe. I felt as though I was hearing Sam’s story, over and over—kids from four years old to young adults, kids living in cities and suburbs, going to public and private school, adopted and biological, children of two parents and one, with parents gay and straight.
Parents shared tales of woe—and sometimes horror—about the challenges our children face. But we also shared the wonder of raising children who know so clearly who they are, children willing to face vast adversity just to be themselves. In a room with so many parents full of so much love and compassion for their children, I realized that we are strong. Though we may be the only ones in our school, our neighborhoods, our towns, we are actually many.
We’re here. They’re pink. The world will get used to it.