Why is it that the simplest messages strike a nerve with folks?

Last week, I posted an image on social media with the message, "Affirming your trans kid is always the right thing to do." Period. That was it.

Boy howdy, people had a LOT to say about that.

Lots of people commented positively, agreeing enthusiastically, or saying they affirmed their trans kids, too.

But other people were very angry and let me know it. Some called me a weirdo or liberal (oh NO), and some called me much, much worse.

It seems like my posts that get lots of views and traction are always the most straightforward. "Love your trans kids!" "Trans kids are awesome!" "Trans kids deserve everything cisgender kids do!"

For some reason, these uncomplicated statements are very polarizing, maybe because they're so simple.

For people who agree, they might think, "Of course it's that simple! Trans kids are terrific! Rock on!"

But for people who disagree, they might think, "Wait - I don't want it to be that simple. Affirming trans kids makes too much sense and goes against what I was told! It's too humanizing! My brain is exploding!"

Maybe it is just that easy to recognize that trans kids are just ... kids. It's a piece of cake to recognize that trans kids are not the boogeyman and neither are their parents. No sweat to see that trans kids deserve everything that cisgender kids have.

It's pretty simple.

Mandy Giles (she/her)
Founder and CEO
​Parents of Trans Youth​

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