Archives: Forums

Welcome! We are so glad you are here and hope you find the support and information you are looking for within our community. Forum members are people from all walks of life. What we have in common is a desire to love and support a child on their gender journey regardless of the destination.

Top 5 questions asked by parents:

• How is this different from being gay?
• Did I somehow cause this?
• What if they change their mind?
• Aren't they too young to know?
• Could this be a phase?

Have a suggestion or a question about the site? We'd love to get your input!

News and updates about our support groups.

Differing parenting styles. Sibling considerations. Grief. Finding support for yourself. Old family photos & videos. Expectations of extended family, friends, co-workers. Best supportive practices. When your kid has a 'checklist' for transition. Launching adult children. Electronic devices and social media.

Looking for advice or referrals for doctors? Therapists? Questions about insurance? Check out this forum. This is also the place to discuss autism, anxiety, depression, self-harm, ADHD, diet & exercise, etc.

Social transition: name changes, new pronouns, new clothes, hair, makeup, when to take certain steps and who decides. Physical / medical transition: puberty delay, hormones, surgery considerations, weight, height, and other body considerations.

Finding camps and youth programs. Things to know before you enroll your child. Sleep-over camp considerations.

Getting support at school. Legal rights and protections. Strategies for manifesting school trainings. Schooling alternatives. Dealing with reluctant administrations and/or parent pushback. Policies and expectations. A child's right to privacy, name changes, sports and activity participation, bathrooms & locker rooms, overnight field trips, dress codes, teasing and bullying, etc.

Sharing gender news with spouse. Disclosing to friends and extended family. Disclosing to faith communities. Disclosure letters and one-on-one conversations. Do I have to tell everyone? Talking to other children. Telling co-workers and neighbors. Pacing yourself, ready-made responses, and determining the optimal approach.

Discussions specific to:

• Trans boys
• Trans girls
• Non-binary
• More than one way to be trans

Importance of family support. Physiological origins of gender identity. Gender cognition in children. Desistance myths. Discredited experts/organizations. And more.

Acceptance and rejection in faith communities. Faith-specific discussions (Mormon, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.)

Birth certificate changes. Passports, Licenses, social security. Setting up "Safe Folders". Travel. Divorce/Custody issues. Gender and precedent-setting court cases.

Pros and cons of going public with your family's story. Protecting your privacy while engaging with media. "I want to change the world. My child says no. What now?

Got a new topic to discuss that doesn't fit any of the subjects above? This is the place. As we use and expand the forums, we will be creating new subforums and topics, so don't hesitate to start a new thread. We'll continue to keep the conversation organized as we go.