Читать книгу Trans Teen Survival Guide - Fox Fisher - Страница 10

There are cases of people being disowned by their families, simply for wanting to be themselves, and that’s really, really heartbreaking. It can have very severe consequences, such as teens being pushed out of their home situation and not being able to speak to their family members. This is why it’s very important to have people you know will support you, such as other trans people, close friends or other family members. There are many support groups out there that will always lend you a hand so you never have to feel alone. If you’re afraid your family will respond in a very negative or even an aggressive manner, making certain arrangements beforehand is good preparation for that eventuality. Make sure you have a safe place to go and stay for a while if that’s needed, and make sure you surround yourself with people who will support you 100 per cent and unconditionally in what you want to do with your life.

We only have one life, and we have to live it for ourselves. No one should be forced to live in a gender that doesn’t correspond with their gender identity in order to please others. If your family cannot come to terms with you being trans and become abusive and toxic, cutting ties with them and spending time away from them is often better than trying to make amends or get them to understand. In very serious cases, for the sake of your mental and physical wellbeing you might even be forced to move elsewhere for a while until things settle down.

Most families come around in the end and realise that if they do not support their child, they might lose them entirely. Thankfully, as awareness and visibility of trans people has increased a lot in the past few years, people are becoming more and more accepting. If your family or friends are having a hard time it is even worth suggesting you seek counselling together or that they do so separately. There are groups out there that offer support to family members specifically, and they are often worth checking out (see Chapter 19 for details).