The Six Times I Did Not Tell My Mom I’m Transgender
I only wish I’d found a way to talk to her about the daughter she never knew she had
Many trans people can identify times in their lives when they wished they could have come out to a parent, sibling, friend, or significant other. Recently, I reflected on times I wished I could’ve been more assertive sharing my true gender with my mom. It is my hope that reading these stories will prompt a mom out there to look a little deeper, ask another question, or start another conversation that will allow their child to express themselves.
Some of these events happened later in life. In those cases, I hope other trans people realize it is really up to us to take the lead living an authentic life. It is up to us to decide the pace and path of our journeys. Please understand that I am not suggesting how or when anyone else should come out. I just wish I had found a way to talk to my mom about the daughter she never knew she had.
1.) 5, on the bed
One of the first questions we get asked when we come out is “When did you first know you were transgender?” It can be difficult to definitively answer. But I can confidently say it was when I was 5 years old in 1966.
