Reader, I talk to so many parents of trans kids who crave being in a space where you don’t have to explain everything about your kid. Where folks understand what you’re going through and what your kid is going through. And that’s other parents and caregivers of trans kids. They just get it. But those spaces can be really hard to find. It's hard to know who to trust. So we’ve made it easy for you! The Parents of Trans Youth Community (PTYC) is a secure, online space for parents/caregivers who...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Want a concrete action you can take to support help trans youth in the U.S.? I got you. Two proposed federal rules would make it much harder for trans youth to access medically necessary care. These rules would: 1. Block Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for trans patients under 18, and block CHIP coverage for trans patients under 19. 2. Threaten hospitals’ participation in Medicare/Medicaid if they provide gender-affirming care to youth, which would put tremendous pressure on them...
9 days ago • 1 min read
It is ALWAYS the right thing to do to affirm and support your trans child, and that can include gender affirming medical care. It is LIFE SAVING, and that is not an exaggeration. I hope you take some time this week to enjoy your family - chosen or otherwise - and find some joy.✨ Happy holidays from all of us at Parents of Trans Youth. ❄️ Mandy GilesFounder, Parents of Trans Youth p.s. Want to receive additional emails specific to Texas news and events? Click here! But wait! There's more!...
16 days ago • 1 min read
From a trusted source: It's no secret that this administration is trying to erase LGBTQIA+ lived experience. With sexual and gender identity questions stripped from federal health surveys, LGBTQIA+ people are disappearing from the data used to track our health and wellbeing. That’s why we need you to help us document what’s really happening. The early survey findings are alarming: • Nearly 3 out of 4 respondents report increased depression or anxiety since Inauguration Day. • More than half...
23 days ago • 1 min read
One of the questions I always ask potential community members is: "What have you learned from your transgender/gender-expansive child?" Parents' faces immediately light up as they think about how to put into words all the things they've learned from parenting a gender-expansive kiddo. One parent recently said, "I learned to be me and have more acceptance for myself. I now surround myself with people who love me for me, and I don't have to edit myself." Boy howdy, can I relate to that! Once I...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Texas's bathroom bill (SB 8) went into effect yesterday. Yuck is an understatement. There is no reason why transgender people shouldn’t use the bathroom where they’re the most comfortable. They go to the bathroom for human biological imperatives, just like everyone else. It’s just not a big deal. (Plus the bill is just very poorly written. I just heard an ACLU lawyer call it "legal mumbo jumbo.") These kind of bills, laws, and policies obviously target transgender and gender nonconforming...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Reader, I wanted you to be the first to know that the December application window for the Parents of Trans Youth Community (PTYC) is open! 🌟Who is PTYC for?🌟 Parents and caregivers who affirm and support their trans kids (of any age) 🌟What’s inside?🌟- Warm, positive energy- 100+ members from all over the U.S. and 3 countries- 24/7 access to chat spaces- Monthly support group- Average one live event each week- Topic discussions with guest experts 🌟How do I join PTYC?🌟- Submit an online...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Happy Thanksgiving week to those who celebrate! And happy Boundary-Setting-Season to us all! Stay strong, y'all. Mandy GilesFounder, Parents of Trans Youth p.s. Want to receive additional emails specific to Texas news and events? Click here! But wait! There's more! Click here to get on the Houston-area email list. p.s.s. Loving these emails? Send a tiny donation to Parents of Trans Youth to say thanks! ❤️ 2808 Caroline St. #103-G, Houston, TX 77004Unsubscribe · Preferences
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Last night, I attended the Transgender Day of Remembrance event in Katy, Texas, hosted by Katy Pride to memorialize the trans siblings we've lost in the past year to anti-trans violence. We gathered under a park pavilion to hear a handful of people speak somberly of the losses rooted in systemic transphobia and injustice. But we also heard words of hope celebrating the trans experience and embracing the support of community. Across Texas and across the country – we are seeing laws, orders,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read