Читать книгу My Trans Parent - Heather Bryant - Страница 5

Our language needs an update. I thought by the time I wrote this book, it would be old news. Maybe everyone would have a link to someone trans or be trans themselves. But people are still getting a grasp on the workings of gender.

I believe we are still learning about pronouns, that we are still behind when it comes to language. One day, there will be a language that won’t split us in two. This language will reflect us more fully and tell the story of who we really are. For now, I’m working within the limits of language as it is.

You’ll sometimes find pronouns you might not expect like “mom” with “he,” and “dad” with “she.” Each family chose the pronouns and names that fit. For my trans parent, this means using “she” or “he” with “dad” for the early years and “she” with “Dana” for the later years. I believe the truth lands between or around the pronouns and names, not in one or the other. Still, to see how mis-gendering or mis-pronouning feels, try swapping pronouns for yourself; then you might understand why people choose pronouns that fit.

Some names and details have been changed to protect privacy and anonymity within my own family and others, while staying true to the stories.

1 Acronym for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.” The “Q” can also stand for “questioning.” The “+” indicates the wide range of additional identities, including intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual, and many more.