Heh, just got outted to my dad. He took it alot better then I thought he would. Just kinda said I'm on a powerful drug, and he hopes I know what I'm getting into, and the surgery's are about $200,000. Fyi despite what I was told don't get your prescriptions from a chain pharmacy if your parents are pharmacist's for the same chain...................

A friend of mine grew up in a very conservative Roman Catholic household. His sister came out as trans, and their mother cried for a week. And then she came to the conclusion that what matters most is her love for her daughter, and that God could not possibly want her to reject her child over something as utterly innocuous as being trans. As I recall, the father's story was similar, but I guess less emotive. Both parents ended up joining an organization within the Roman Catholic Church advocating for inclusion and acceptance of LGBT people.

Another friend of mine grew up in a liberal household. He came out as trans to his mother, and faced years of denial and rejection, intentional misgendering and deadnaming, etc., before being able to slowly rebuild that relationship.

Politics tends to fade away in the face of personal relationships, and what ends up mattering is how much parents really honestly and selflessly love their children. Some parents reject their children for choosing the wrong profession. Others will fight on their side no matter what.

Being conservative might increase the chances that being trans is a step too far — conservative people tend to be those who are more concerned about social cohesion and following norms. But regardless of our politics, we all are caught between the demands of social norms and the demands of empathy and love.

Great response Alyssa!!!! I actually think that is probably more normal than most think. I actually have a trans mtf friend in Charleston and her mother is super liberal and rejected my friend and still wont talk to her. Of course my parents don't really talk to me anymore much either. Just not what they expected from me I guess. But I have my friends I keep close, closer than my family ever will be. Just how it is.

Coming out isn't so much a political as emotional thing. My sister is a far cry from neoconservative and since she'd spent so much time bragging about her lesbian friends and being socially lesbian, just not in orientation I figured coming out as trans would be safe.

Turns out she was educated by women who adamantly believed mtf wasn't real and was men trying to invade women's spaces etc. Let's say we haven't spoken since, 16 years now.

My mother is a different matter entirely. I'm still dealing with how to address years of abuse and an ongoing fundamental lack of respect for other's choices (we have one gay cousin who's ok in her book because he made a lot of money).

Ugh, I don't like thinking about this, really really bad memories.

Quote from: redhot1 on May 17, 2016, 10:04:35 PM
I read a lot of coming out stories involving conservative religious parents, so I assume Republican then. But how does that make sense? I know people are going to say "not all republicans believe blah blah blah" but it doesn't make sense from a fundamentally conservative right wing level. Heck, they even ignore accepted science, why would a conservative Republican ever accept a transgender son or Daughter? It doesn't make sense at all.

You make a prejudiced view of Republicans and conservatives.  Some of the most redneck SOB's I know are my biggest supporters and some of the most liberal people I know are the most horrible towards my transition.   Treat ALL people as individuals, not prejudged members of groups.   I've been shocked as I've come out who hates and who doesn't, I quit letting judgement unknown guide me.

SURE if they happen to openly hateful towards trans, you can assume coming out will be difficult, but just ebcause someone is conservative or republican doesn't mean squat.

  Okay! A lot of conservative bashing here! I am from a conservative family as we still vote mostly Republican. My mom was the one that told us kids that Christine Jorgensen was not a 'fruit' as she puts it when she visited my town in the mid-1960's. My other conservative aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings have no problem with me either. My problem is with my liberal acquaintances. They talk highly about LGBT issues, but in reality, not too well with their T acquaintances. I call them "NIMBYcrats."

Joelene

Yeah, what we think might hold true for some ideology often doesn't for folks close to us.

My wife and daughter are what I would normally consider liberals.  I've come out to them, and they 'accept' me.  Of course, there are rules.  I may not dress at home.  All items of my clothing must be hidden at all times. I may not wash or dry the clothing while they are here. (And I have things that need to line-dry on our interior line, or lay flat to dry...)  I must schedule all departures and returns when dressed in advance.  On returning, I must text from the garage, wait for permission to enter, and text when I'm behind closed doors in the master bathroom.

They both feel that they are being supportive.  They refuse to meet with a therapist for a joint session.  They refuse to even look at the APA "Answers to your questions about transgender people" handout. (I left it out on my desk.  They now refuse to enter my office!)

Oddly, I am permitted to be on HRT and have electrolysis.  The low dose HRT is still triggering changes, and I am inclined to tell the endocrinologist to let 'er rip, Transition dosage, engage!

No doubt this will have consequences at home.  And no, I refuse to wear a binder 24/7!  Sheesh.

So yeah, conservative doesn't mean unsupportive, and liberal doesn't mean supportive.