71% of Americans say they’ve never met a transgender person.
It’s okay to have questions about what it means to be transgender - a lot of us are figuring it out together. What really matters is remembering that transgender people are already part of our lives. They are our friends, family, neighbors, and community members. We don’t have to understand everything about one another to treat each other with respect, kindness, and dignity.
We all have the right to be ourselves and live our lives free from fear, and filled with love.
When Nadya first told me she was transgender it wasn’t easy for me. With my background, I didn’t know much about what it meant to be transgender. But as Nadya opened up to us, my wife kept encouraging me to be more open-minded. I dove into it all and I realized: this is my daughter, and I need to change and learn to enjoy life with her. There was just no way I was going to lose my child. I’m so proud of who she is and who she’s becoming.
- Nadya's father
Here are some things to think about to help you learn more about this, and how we can all accept one another for who we truly are.
Live Our Lives Free From Fear
All of us want the freedom to be ourselves, pursue our dreams, and achieve our version of the American dream.
Transgender people want the same things as everyone else - to be able to earn a living, provide for themselves and their families, and go about their daily lives without fear.
There is no single “transgender experience” - just like all of us, everyone has their own unique experiences and needs in life. No two lives are ever the same.
Transgender people should have the same basic freedoms and protections as everyone else - to live their lives with safety, privacy, and dignity.
Our Friends, Family, and Co-Workers
Transgender people are our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members.
All people, including transgender people, deserve to be able to fully participate in their communities without having to hide who they are. They should be able to learn in school, have access to healthcare, and use public facilities, including bathrooms.
It might be surprising when a person you know starts using a new name and pronouns, or starts wearing different clothes and hair styles. Even if you don’t understand those decisions, you can accept them and help make them feel included, supported, and safe.
Freedom to Make Decisions about our Lives, Futures, and Families
Healthcare for transgender people is the same as healthcare for anyone else - people working with their doctors and families to live healthy, happy lives.
We should all have the freedom to make decisions about our own lives and futures, including our own healthcare.
Like everyone, every transgender person is unique and will make different decisions, along with their doctors, regarding their healthcare.
The best healthcare decisions come from discussions between a doctor and an individual. Those decisions are guided by well-established guidelines that help provide the care that is right for them, taking into account a person’s age, maturity, mental health, and other individual factors - we all have experienced this with our doctors. It’s the same for transgender people.
We know that when transgender people receive the healthcare they need, that the overwhelming majority of them experience positive results for both their mental and physical health.
The Role of Parents
All parents simply want what’s best for their kids. That’s why it’s so important for parents to have the freedom to make the decisions that are right for their families and can help their kids to grow up healthy and safe.
Family acceptance significantly improves the mental health and well-being of transgender young people. Parents play a crucial role in helping their children live authentically, ensuring they feel safe, supported, and loved. This support makes a meaningful difference in their overall health, happiness, and resilience
Many parents may not have all the answers right away, and that’s okay. Supporting a transgender child often begins with small steps of listening, asking questions, and learning. Parents aren’t expected to have everything figured out from the start, but each step towards understanding makes a difference.
As a parent, I had my own ideas of who Ashton was going to be, and this was a change that took time to understand. But, I could see how important it was for him to be himself, to be happy and authentic. Even when I didn’t fully understand, I knew it was my role to support him, to learn, and to be there. That's what every person deserves from the people who care about them – acceptance, even if you’re still figuring things out.
- Ashton's father
