On this episode of TransCisTer Radio, Dana and Kelly speak with Anthony Galante, Dana’s husband, on what life can be like for parents of transgender children.  Dana and Anthony have two children, one of whom happens to be transgender.  He came out to them when he was 14 years old.  This threw them for a loop, but they both rebounded beautifully and began to learn how to care for someone who they both deeply loved.  Throughout their journey they faced many new struggles, from coming out to their extended family, to finding appropriate health care, and becoming leaders in creating a safe space for all transgender humans in our local Central California community of Visalia.  Dana and Anthony truly are great parents and lovingly found the strength to not just stand up for their own child, but for all transgender humans.  It was a pleasure being able to speak to them and gain insight and tips into what it means to be a loving parent. 

Some of the topics in this episode are:

–        What to do when your child reveals that they are transgender.

–        What are the first steps to help yourself and your family.

–        Some of the misconceptions of being transgender.

–        Facing the realities of raising a child who is their own independent human being.

–        How to deal with parental ego.

–        Where a child is at when they reveal themselves as transgender compared to where parents are often at when that reveal happens.

–        How to not panic when your child comes out.

–        How important names and pronouns are to your transgender children.

–        The high rates of attempted suicide within the transgender youth community.

–        How important it is to support your transgender child.

–        That transgender children attempt to help protect their parents.

Episode Reference:

–        Carol Montgomery Brosnac – transgender therapist

https://www.carolmontgomerybrosnaclmft.com/

–        Gender Spectrum

https://www.genderspectrum.org/

–        Help The Source LGBT+ Center

https://www.thesourcelgbt.org/donate

–        TransCisTer Radio email address: 

–        Voice mail line:  559-343-6646

This is a Season 1 episode – Season 1 was produced as a pilot project of The Source in Visalia CA.

TransCisTer Radio is no longer produced in anyway by The Source. It is independently owned by Kelly Denithorne and Dana Galante.