If you read just one post this week, make it “The Lord Looks at the Heart: When My Son Became My Daughter,” by Debi Jackson, a self-described “conservative Southern Baptist Republican from Alabama.”
A new picture book by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, Jacob’s New Dress (Albert Whitman, 2014), is welcome addition to the small but growing number of books for and about young gender nonconforming and transgender children.
Two recent stories show parents supporting their gender nonconforming children in pretty awesome ways. One will infuriate you with the bias the mom and her child had to face; both will inspire you with the strength of the moms.
Two thoughtful pieces this week reflect on supporting our children’s gender expression, and both are worth a read.
Katie Couric did a show yesterday on “Transgender Youth,” which was really rather good, and reminded me I’d never posted about these two children’s books by author, theater artist, and parent S. Bear Bergman. Last year, Bergman launched a Kickstarter project to produce “books and more for gender-independent kids and families.” The first two picture books from the resulting micro-press, Flamingo Rampant, are colorful, fantastical tales.
There have been several great items this week on children and gender identity and expression, including a terrific new 15-minute video from TransActive Education & Advocacy. Have a look.
There’s a new place online for families with gender non-conforming and transgender children to share their stories and experiences: the Gender Spectrum Lounge. The Gender Spectrum organization has been around for a number of years now, and also runs the yearly Gender Spectrum Family Conference.
I’m passing along this information about the Gender Spectrum Family Conference, a yearly gathering for gender nonconforming children, teens, and their families. I’m not involved in the organization myself, but I’ve heard many good things about it.
In the Life Media has posted an “It Gets Better” video featuring parents of transgender children. In the video, the parents, members of PFLAG’s support group for families of transgender children, “share their personal struggles to understand their child’s needs and find support for both themselves and their families.”
Children’s books with gender nonconforming/transgender protagonists are rare, but over the past year or so there have been some encouraging signs of progress.
