I Wish You Were My Dad

[Shana A]

Wayne Maines
Father, storyteller and advocate for change

I Wish You Were My Dad
Posted: 01/02/2013 12:25 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wayne-maines/parents-lgbt-youth_b_2391144.html

To continue to help others learn more about transgender youth I started to guest lecture on campus. I am often asked to lecture in the Engineering School and the Business school to introduce students to concepts and practical applications for Process Safety and Emergency Management. Now I am teaching in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Human Development to teach others about transgender youth. Go figure!

A couple of weeks ago I taught a few gender studies classes and when I was done with each lecture, half of the class was in tears, and so was I. After one class a young man came up and lingered as if he wanted to say more, but he did not know how to begin. Then he whispered, "I wish you were my dad." He was shaking and I could tell he wanted to say more, but the room was still crowded. I did not know what to do or say. I paused and then I told him everything was going to be okay and shook his hand. I wanted to give him a hug, but it was still hard to break the old "Guy Habits." I regret not giving him that hug.

Just as I was gathering my thoughts, two young ladies approached the front of the classroom and told me their sad stories. As they cried and told me that their parents would never accept who they are, I tried to keep me my composure.