Читать книгу My Trans Parent - Heather Bryant - Страница 36

What if everyone in your school had a trans parent? Or in your neighborhood? On your block?

Flip the world upside down so that every family is like yours. How would that change your idea of your family?

What if we didn’t have to decide how and when to tell about our families? What if we didn’t have to “come out” at all?

“Guess what? I have a trans parent!”

You might want to shout this from the rooftops or you might want to hide under a rock. Both are acceptable responses based on where you are today. It can change tomorrow. What I didn’t know when my parent came out was that I would have to come out, too—to friends, to bosses, to people I met. That coming out would be a process that would continue through my life. Sometimes it would be easier than at other times. And it’s not entirely about my parent, though they’re a part of it. It’s about me saying this is a part of my story.

The more we say it, the more people see this is part of our lives. Someone at Christy’s church was telling her about how she was taking her kids out of softball because the coach was transgender.

“Okay,” Christy said. “I guess I’m confused about what that has to do with teaching softball.”

“I just don’t know if I want my kids around that—I mean—what would you do? Would you let your kids be around that?”

“Well,” Christy said, brightly. “My dad’s a woman now, so I don’t really have a lot of other options—we just—yeah—they’re around it.”

There was a big group of ladies standing around, and they all looked back at Christy, dumbfounded. Christy shrugged.

“Yeah so, I don’t know, you get used to it.” She walked off.

Christy said, “I was like, ‘Mic drop!’”

Her response snapped the woman’s story into focus. This was no longer something happening over there—to them. It was happening right here with her friends and community. It was happening right next door. It’s important, too, to know how your parent feels and not to inadvertently out them to someone who might respond with hostility or excitement or advice for your parent that they don’t want. Coming out is also about your own understanding and where you’re coming from, so let’s get started.