🌈 Transgender Parents Day 🌈

If there has ever been a better time to celebrate Transgender Parents Day, it’s today. 





Parents who are either transgender themselves, or parents who have transgender loved ones, are living in some really rocky times. At the end of the day, we’re all trying to do one thing - to raise happy healthy children. Parenting is hard for everyone, but when you’re faced with a constant barrage of negativity about whether trans people should exist, that challenge can become overwhelming. 


Many parents find themselves constantly advocating for their children just to protect their mental health. Yet, support for parents of transgender kids is often limited or non-existent. It can feel lonely and isolating. When you know what your child needs but encounter nothing but dead ends, it’s exhausting and it can feel like a frightening place to be. 


For transgender parents, many are facing struggles such as being othered and  excluded from parent groups or denied the crucial community that new parents rely on.


Mental health services often fall short too. The lack of timely, trans affirming care for children creates a cycle of stress and unnecessary delay, leaving families without the support they need.


If you or your child are facing these long delays and struggles, I see you. Transgender Parents Day matters because it reminds us that beneath all the challenges they face, there is a huge amount of love, strength and resilience. Transgender parents and the parents of transgender children are doing extraordinary things every single day. To build a family rooted in honesty, authenticity and unconditional love is something to be proud of. It shows true leadership - the courage to follow your own path in life.This takes tremendous bravery in these uncertain times. 


Today is about recognising that in yourself and others and being compassionate with yourself as you celebrate what you’re doing every single day. If you know a parent of a transgender child or a trans parent, stand beside them. Be proud of what you are doing. 


If you’re a parent who’s struggling right now, whether you’re transgender yourself or supporting a child, please know you’re not alone. You deserve support and space to feel empowered. If you’d like to talk to someone who understands, I offer a safe, affirming space to share what you are carrying. You can visit my website at Donna Chester Counselling for more information. 


 Donna Chester Counselling









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 More Than Enough: A Letter To The Overwhelmed. You go through life being told that you are not doing enough, that you are failing and that you need to put in more effort. If they only knew that you were already putting in 150% effort every minute of everyday just to stay on top of things. You felt completely misunderstood growing up as you would often say the wrong thing without bad intention, and you would get a feeling of being different to everyone else.  You stumble through life being psychologically knocked and bumped every day. You have no idea who you are because you have tried so hard not to be the person others have criticised. You mirror other people in order to feel safe and understood and to shield yourself from more criticism. You feel the energy in a room and are highly attuned to the emotions of others around you. You try to attend to these emotions to help reduce any conflict.  You over extend yourself. You say yes to things when you really want to say no...
Read more

Epilepsy awareness

Image
4-5 minute read.     Today, on Epilepsy Awareness Day, I want to share how epilepsy affects not only those who live with it but also the people around them.   Growing up with a parent who had epilepsy, I had no guidance to help me understand this complex condition. It was rarely mentioned in the media, on TV, or in books. There was nothing around me to help make sense of what our family was going through.   Disabilities can have a deep, generational impact—but my hope is that, through awareness and understanding, families can find healing.   Epilepsy is often misunderstood because it is an invisible condition.  Just because someone appears to function well day to day does not mean that they can always fully meet their own needs. Managing epilepsy can be challenging both physically and emotionally.   The Emotional Impact of Epilepsy   Living with epilepsy can feel incredibly isolating. Because the condition is not always visible, people can struggl...
Read more
Image
  The Gender Bible On the day of our birth, whether we like it or not, we are given a 'gender bible.' We are too young to accept it, but it is thrust upon us ready for when we are old enough to take a proper look. It seems that the bible itself isn't necessary though, because people keep telling you what is in it. They will buy you clothes that match the gender stereotype in your bible, and toys to go with it. They will tell you what you are supposed to like and what you shouldn't. This is all whilst you are too young to choose your own bible.  The pages in the bible are really highlighted when it comes to birthdays and Christmas' as well-meaning family and friends chose something for you from the 'gender catalogue'. A pink toy phone for a girl that looks nothing like the real thing, whilst their brother gets a real looking one for a more serious approach. Special occasions are also noted in the bible as having specific dress code. A dress for a girl that fe...
Read more