Had a conversation with Mom yesterday. I was trying to get her to understand what it means to be transgendered. I asked her to imagine she woke up one day with a penis and everybody thought she was a man. She said that analogy didn't work because that's different than being born that way and always being that way. So, then I asked her to imagine that when she was little everyone had treated her as if she was a boy. She admitted that would be hard.
I don't know. I guess it's enough that she accepts me even though she doesn't 'get it' and would rather I remain a 'woman'.
You could give her as much literature as possible in gender issues along with DVD's, websites, stories of other transsexual people who have trasitioned and succeeded. Moreover, both of you could attend therapy together and participate in a support group if feasable. You could also get her involved with other parents who are dealing or have dealth with these issues. There are websites designed to help transsexual parents and children; maybe looking into these programs can turn out to be beneficial to her?
Have you read Jamison Green's Becoming a Visible Man? That might help her to understand.
Robyn
Quote from: Robyn on June 16, 2007, 11:29:28 AM
Have you read Jamison Green's Becoming a Visible Man? That might help her to understand.
Yes, and "True Selves" is a great primer too ;)
Even after watching 20/20, an MS-NBC show, the Newsweek article, the Susan Stanton story... my mom STILL says
"I don't get it."After pondering it, I've come to think this REALLY means,
"I don't WANT to get it, as I don't acknowledge your feelings as being legitimate. I don't believe you. You're deluded or lying, so there's nothing to GET."~Kate~