When I was growing up, we never talked about gender. Or sexuality. Or anything, really. As a family we just understood things. My dad went out to work. My mom stayed home and raised three (cisgender, presumed heterosexual) daughters. We all fell into the prescribed boxes.
My mom was a powerhouse. Nothing stopped her from doing exactly what she wanted, when she wanted, how she wanted and with whom. She was strong, independent, courageous and generous. I learned those things from her. I learned what my gender role was from her, and I executed it with gusto. I became a nurse. I got married to a wonderful man. I had babies. We created a home and a family.
When my sisters and I started having children we joked that we had a perfect women’s sports team in the making. Our babies were born close together in age, and all seven were assigned female at birth. Weird, huh? It was such a strange coincidence, and we took every bit of it for granted.
When my son shared his authentic identity and told us that he was actually a boy (surprise!) I took a crash course in gender studies from my kitchen table, mostly in the dark, mostly at 2 AM when I couldn’t sleep for worry. I knew I needed to have a clearer understanding of my son’s trans identity to be able to help him navigate some rough water. I quickly discovered that all the things I took for granted about gender weren’t anywhere close to reality.
I’m looking forward to sharing my journey to understanding gender and supporting gender diverse people with you. I can’t wait for you to see what Rainbow Caregivers and Chameleon Collective have in store for you in the future.
Mostly, I’m so glad you found me, and I’m so glad we can take these few moments together. Please consider subscribing and sharing. Welcome to my home.
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