I was asked to speak at this year’s Time to Thrive Conference, hosted by HRC in Portland, Oregon. Time to Thrive is an event focused on educating professionals who work with LGBT youth about their unique issues, struggles, and needs. I was introduced by another amazing PFLAG mom, Betty DeGeneres! My speech this year told more of our daughter’s story, a painful part of the journey that I don’t often talk about. I felt it was important, though, for people working with at-risk youth to really understand what those risks can be. And I also challenged parents to be more accepting of their LGBT kids and to really advocate for them. HRC has resources that can...
Read MoreTime to THRIVE is a national conference for youth-serving professionals hosted by the Human Rights Campaign. Attendees include K-12 educators, mental health providers, pediatricians, religious leaders, recreational athletic coaches, and youth development staff (Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, scout leaders, etc.), working together to support the LGBTQ youth population. Time to THRIVE’s goal is to build awareness and cultural competency, learn current and emerging best practices, and gather resources from leading experts and national organizations in the field. I am thrilled to announce that I will be a speaker at this year’s conference in Portland, Oregon, in...
Read MoreWe are fortunate that by homeschooling our kids, we don’t have to worry about unsupportive administrations, mishandled paperwork, or other children (or their parents) bullying our AJ and her brother. But for a lot of parents, their children are already in a school system when they come out as transgender and start their transition. So what can you do as a parent to ensure your child is safe in a school? You have a few options. First, you must decide if your child will stay in their current school or if you will transfer to a different school in the district. If your child wants to be stealth, changing schools is probably the only way to make that happen. I have...
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