avenging_beatrice

The publishing of these types studies always concerns me. Those in the public with lower critical thinking skills and agendas against women freely controlling their own family planning see them as evidence for their arguments, and they will leverage them if they can to force politicians to write and pass laws/regulations that don’t completely have bearing in facts.

I do - but not here on my phone. LOL! I will have to pull them from my work laptop. Will share them soon. 😊

Thank you for posting this! I teach high school film studies, and this will be super helpful! 😊

Notqa is what you swore the time before Notqa is what you swore the time before

Totally agree. It’s an enjoyable game you can play a little or a lot!

Do not mess with Mrs. Liubov. She has friends. Who are snipers. In ghillie suits.

You’re welcome. ❤️

I am so sorry she took this opportunity and wasted it. Parents acting this way to their own children still angers and saddens me, even if it no longer surprises me. I gave up trying to understand a long time ago.

Instead, I am adopting you (in this virtual forum) and sharing the letter I sent to my own daughter when she sent us her letter. She still presents as male at the moment, but is in the process of transitioning.

Please take a very big virtual hug, too. You are bold; you are brilliant; you are beautiful.

Message me anytime.

Love, Adopted Mom

Dear [NAME],

Trusting your words, but not your voice (literally), you recently sent us a letter to come out as transgender, telling us you’ve known since your young, teenage years.

I read your words and was so proud of you. Your anxiety must have been immense, but you set down on paper who you are. I have always told you about the power of putting things in writing. The words, whatever they are, can’t be taken back — they’re out there. Sure, they can be clarified or explained, but never erased. And you sent them to us.

When I saw you next, part of me wanted to tell you that I’ve known about this part of you for a long time, maybe for longer than you acknowledged it yourself. But I didn’t because I didn’t want to take a chance on taking any part of this moment away from you. It takes a lot to gain self-awareness like this. It takes yet even more to tell someone, let alone your parents - let alone again to put it in writing.

And as to that, there is something else I’ve told you all your life, or a variation of it. You may no longer be a baby, but you will always be my baby. That’s not meant to infantilize you; it’s a promise. Transgender or not, you could change your name from the one I gave you, and you would still be my child. You can live with me or move 2,000 miles away, and I will be there for you, because you are my child. My sweet, funny, witty, smart, awesome child.

When I saw you next, I didn’t say any of that either, and then one of your siblings came into the room, and I couldn’t address any of it at all. In your letter, you asked that we not say anything. We would never have had intentions to do so; that’s your right, so that request is more than easy to honor. I look forward to the day when you can be authentic with them as well, but that will take some time, I think.

All I could do at that moment was give you a quick, tight hug and whisper to you, “I love you, and your father loves you, too.” I hope you read into that hug and words all that we feel, and that you know that we love and support you.

And we would also put that in writing, if you wished. 😊

Yep! I have been teaching this play in my classes and we watch the movie at the end. It is amazing what all my students have to say about the themes of this story. Even my “I’m not a writer” students will jump to start the assignments. I can’t say enough good things about it.

I should also add that I’m sorry your situation has caused an argument with your SO. You don’t have to give more details if you’d prefer not to, but I am curious, I confess, how that happened. If your current place has no paths for growth or change, then there is nothing wrong with looking elsewhere or finding out what you need to acquire to make that change - whether it’s elsewhere or at the same company. Life is to short to stay in unhappy jobs; I believe it’s what has caused a lot of health problems in our parents’ generations.

I’m not sure I have anything I can say, but I will offer a BIG INTERNET HUG.