Advice request: What would you like to see in the media?

[cisdad]

I'm more interested* in the narrow question prompted to me by this message our PFLAG transparents coordinator forwarded here --

In The Life media, an LGBT documentary program that runs on PBS will likely be doing some filming in our area in January and they are wondering if several of our families would be willing to hold a support group meeting that they would film. Obviously, you would need to be out and comfortable telling your story on national television. But this is important work they are doing and if you are willing, it would be great. We would schedule a meeting specifically for this purpose and include only those of you who are willing to be filmed. The segment will be aired in April.
Please let me know if you would be up for this....

My wife and I have agreed to participate.  Most of whatever it is that happens will be straightforward -- we'll be ourselves and be talking honestly.  That's no question.

The question side is more that there are probably things that we could say (true things!) that would be particularly helpful to either trans people who are watching, or for other parents, that my wife and I might not think of ourselves.  Your suggestions are welcome.

*I expect the broader one is a pretty routine topic of discussion.

[lilacwoman]

I feel the need to educate the great unwashed public about TS things but so often the prog editor will try to push the agenda to full spectrum TG and then it has no value apart from titillating the masses.

[Maya Zimmerman]

Yikes, Lilac.  That was a little harsh, ne?  There are a lot of very intelligent, kind transgender people who don't identify as transsexual that would like to be considered more than titillating entertainment.  Your comment is not that far from cis people who would say that anyone transgender, including transsexuals, is only worth seeing on Jerry Springer for a few laffs.

Anyway, to the topic at hand, cisdad, it seems from your other post that you're already a great ally who knows about a lot of the issues we face.  If you mention how you feel about the importance of family's support, that would be great.  It's a thing you have a great perspective on that a lot of us have had trouble with.

[cisdad]

Thanks Maya.  Again, I can't take much credit, just some basic 'how would I feel if I were in those shoes'.  I'll take the credit for asking my son about the pronouns and new name before he'd mentioned those points.  But it still seems pretty obvious to me.

Maybe that's more the point?  That there isn't much that's all that hard to fathom?  That the obvious parts about people are people and like to be taken for themselves cover an awful lot of it.

I don't know, hence the questions.  I figure that regardless of the situation, people actually in it encounter things that even a well meaning person not in the position won't expect to be important.  Like the difference between visiting a place and trying to live there.