My daughter and I live our own lives but are very close. I am her parent and always will be. I am now female. Our relationship has shifted a bit because she, as a cis-female, continues to be helpful to me as I integrate more and more into the social role of a woman. Even though I am not really her father anymore, there remains a closeness from our long history and the fact that I helped raise her.
However, I am not her mother. That is a special relationship that I am not qualified for because I wasn't her mother when she was born or when she was an infant or a child or a teenager. The connection between my daughter and her mother is different than the one I have with her. I can play the social role of her mother in public, but both my daughter and I know that we are playing a role and have fun with it.
If her mother were not around, then perhaps I could be that, but her mother is still her mother. I think my relationship with my daughter is more of as a favorite aunt – very special but not the same as if I were her mother.
- Kate