Hi I’m Josephine
and I’m the Mum of two transgender young adults.
My daughters came out at the ages of 16 and 21, back in 2015. At that time there wasn’t a lot of information or support for parents of transgender young people. And to be honest, I struggled to adapt to my children’s identity.
I experienced difficult feelings around:
- Was there something “wrong” with me and my children?
- It honestly felt like I’d lost something precious and I experienced feelings typically associated with grief. However, the few parents I came across who had transgender children didn’t express those feelings and I felt so bad and selfish as a result
- I worried about medical intervention and wondered what it would mean for my children.
However, as time went by, I was able to process my feelings and the experience. I learned that, although my children had changed forever and life would never be the same again, I could live a life of joy and hope. The answer lay not in what was outside myself, but what was within me.
When we face change, we often have no control over external circumstances. But it is possible to choose how to respond. The Gloriously Unready message is that however unprepared we feel, choosing the values of kindness, love and compassion is leads to a fulfilling life.
Transgender Kids?
The experience of having transgender children is perhaps something parents would not choose. But it can be a wonderful opportunity to learn and to grow closer to your children. Download my guide for parents here.
Experiencing Difficult Change?
What’s it like to face change you haven’t chosen? How does it affect you? In Series 1 of the Gloriously Unready podcast, I describe how change can challenge our identity and relationships – and the key things that can help us get through. Listen here.
Frightened of Failure?
Sometimes we want to make a change but the fear of failure holds us back. Click here for journalling prompts to help you work through what is stopping you.