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Jorja
11-25-2014, 01:47 PM
As some of you know, I occasionally work with transgendered youth and their parents. My usual role is as a foster parent so to speak to youth that have been thrown out of their homes. Some of those children never get back home due to their parent’s unwillingness to compromise in their beliefs about transgenderism. It is sad but it happens all too often.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to work with a professional football player and his wife. They have thrown their son out of their home because of his insistence he is not a he but a she. Now let me tell you, it is a little unnerving to have a man that is 6’8” 325 pounds and a professional athlete sitting across the table from you and you are telling him he is wrong in his beliefs. Of course be believes his son was born a male and there is no way in hell that he is anything other than a male.

I asked Dad to describe his youth and how football related to it. He stated that he was born to play football. He would eat, sleep, and drink football from about 6 years old. He would fall asleep dreaming about becoming a professional football player. The first thing in his mind in the morning was about becoming a professional player. Everything he did was geared to one day becoming a football player. Becoming a professional player was what was important to him.

I asked him, what if instead of being a football player it was important to be a girl? What if you had ate, slept, drank, and dreamed of nothing else but one day becoming a girl? What if becoming a girl was the most important thing in the world to you and you had a mountain of a man telling you it was never going to happen. What would you do? What if every day I told you no, you can never be a football player. What if at 13 years old, I kicked you out of your home because you wanted to be a football player and I said no way in hell that would that ever happen.

All of a sudden you could see the light come on. The tears started rolling. He could not believe the comparison between the two. He couldn’t believe he was actually taking something so important away from his son.

In short, our meeting lasted another 4 hours. We talked about everything trans related. I think as a family they are going to be alright. I gave them my phone number for the times when it gets rough. I would be glad to help them through the hard times that we all know are yet to come. Mom and Dad will be starting therapy and their daughter will be starting a new life and therapy of her own.

Maggie O'neal
11-25-2014, 02:27 PM
Thank you Jorja for being there for these children and their families.
Please keep it up !
Luv & Hugs
Maggie

mechamoose
11-25-2014, 02:32 PM
Thank you for having the courage to call him out.

Parents sometimes have a hard time separating *their* goals from the ones their kids have, especially in such a 'macho' space.

+10 for you. Awesome that you could open his eyes!

- MM

Dianne S
11-25-2014, 02:44 PM
That's absolutely wonderful. Hard as it is for some parents to accept that their children are individuals with their own wants and needs, rather than clones of the parent, I believe that once parents can accept that, they will have a richer and more loving relationship with their children. Really well done.

Promethea
11-25-2014, 03:00 PM
Wow, Jorja, the work you do is amazing. Thank you for being there for those kids. Is that with an NGO? I wish there was something like that where I come from...

Now, reading this particular story I cannot help but think "Football? Really?"

Diana L
11-25-2014, 03:30 PM
Jorja, that was wonderful.

Michelle789
11-25-2014, 03:51 PM
Jorja, you were very brave to stand up to a 6 foot 8 inch tall professional athlete. That takes a lot of courage. I generally don't like using these words because I have had so many people tell me how brave or courageous I am for being myself, and I saw it as more of a life or death situation rather than courage. But in your case, I will use those words, and yes it was a life or death situation for his daughter.

I would also describe your approach as very clever and brilliant to compare being a girl against playing football.

I think you have done a good deed by not only talking some sense into him, but also to post the story online. He could be a poster child for change and parents becoming accepting of their transgender children.

Marleena
11-25-2014, 04:08 PM
Nice work again Jorja! Glad you could help this child out. Quite often parents expectations don't meet the child's needs. You helped him see the light.:)

Rachel Smith
11-25-2014, 04:15 PM
:thumbsup: You are one great lady!

marshalynn
11-25-2014, 04:33 PM
Jorja, I have always loved to read your replies to every one, I think you are a very lovely and caring woman. I wish you were my friend in the real world. Marshlynn

Dawn cd
11-25-2014, 05:34 PM
Now even a brawny football player is in transition (from where he was). Isn't it wonderful?

Jennifer-GWN
11-25-2014, 06:13 PM
Jorja;

What a touching note. As much as you help us regularly I'd say this is one big example of making a huge difference in someone's life that will have hopefully a positive impact for years to come.

I'm sure its not without the frustrations and barriers but its so nice to have people like you that care enough to make a difference.

Many thanks. Jennifer.

Jorja
11-25-2014, 07:29 PM
Thank you for all your nice comments. It does let a person know that what they do isn't all for nothing. I did not consider talking to this man calling him out. Yes, he is huge and could squash me like a bug but my effort was to get him to see that the need his daughter has is no different than his was. He could have been a doctor or lawyer a baker or even a plumber. He had a deep seeded need to become the person he is just like his daughter has. I wanted him to see that it was not right to forbid her from living out her dreams and needs just like it would have been wrong to keep him from fulfilling his own needs and dreams. Luckily he went for it. Otherwise, I was going to have to bring out the Kung Fu and leave speed knots on his head:)

Terri Andrews
11-25-2014, 07:31 PM
Thank You for sharing this touching story with us.
I believe that the efforts of girls like you will change the world .

justmetoo
11-25-2014, 09:01 PM
Wow, you did great! You are beautiful. Your story brought tears to my eyes. Best of luck to that family, too. Sounds like you helped them onto a better path to their future together.

Debglam
11-25-2014, 09:35 PM
Well done Jorja!

My 15 year old daughter's best friend is FTM and I have really enjoyed being able to talk to him about explaining things to his parents and my perspective on "dis thing of ours." :) It is very satisfying!

Deb

PretzelGirl
11-25-2014, 10:37 PM
I can see why you work with the youth. I have already worked with one family and it was very rewarding. And that is a very clever way of getting it to click. That can be applied many ways too.

Kate T
11-25-2014, 11:15 PM
The plight of LGBT children is indeed one of the greatest failings of modern society. I think in many cases that parents have a lack of knowledge and understanding and in many cases are just outright scared. I find it extremely difficult to conceive that any parent would condemn a child that they love to a life of misery by denying them who they are. Your work is commendable to the highest order, I would say that not only have you saved that child's life but you may well have saved that couples marriage and given them hope for the future rather than fear.

Suzanne F
11-26-2014, 01:26 AM
Jorja
Thank you for all you do. You have been trailblazing a path for all of us for a long time. I promise to do my part as I transition and give back to our community!
Suzanne

Carlene
11-26-2014, 07:52 AM
Thank you for sharing and thank you for being a mentor.

LeaP
11-26-2014, 10:19 AM
What a great story and a great result! Thank you for sharing it, Jorga.

Bria
11-26-2014, 11:12 AM
Others have already said it very well, but I've just got to add my thanks to you for your ministry to the parents as well as their child. Your ability to see the similarities between the football player's youthful passion for football and his daughter's youthful passion is a clarity that would not have occurred to me. Your story brought tears of joy to my eyes. Keep up the good work!

Hugs, Bria