Stand with Trans is non-profit founded in 2015. We are a 501(c)(3) organization which means that funds collected are tax deductible donations for the giver. The mission is to provide education, advocacy, mentorship, scholarship, empowerment and support to transgender youth and their families. We aim to provide the tools needed by transgender youth so they are more confident, feel validated and loved as they transition an authentic life.
Seven years ago I didn’t really even know the word “transgender,” and certainly didn’t understand what it meant to be transgender. I understood that people had different sexual orientations but really didn’t comprehend that one could be assigned a gender at birth and identify as a different gender.
Here are two acronyms I learned when my son came out: AFAB and AMAB. Do you know what these stand for?
AFAB = assigned female at birth
AMAB = assigned male at birth
When a baby is born the gender is assigned based on what we can physically see? The doctor sees a vagina you are assigned “girl” status; the baby is born with a penis, that’s an automatic “boy” status.
What I’ve learned is that not everyone identifies as the assigned gender. For me, I never questioned that I was a girl. Imagine growing up knowing you are a boy but everyone else sees “girl.” Your parents dress you in pink and frills. You are given dolls and make-up and princess dress-up clothes. You go through your whole life as if in masquerade.
The statistics show us (and I’ve seen first hand) that kids who have support from parents, friends, teachers, etc., grow up confident and possess the self-esteem to pursue a future. Notice that I said “kids” not “trans kids.” All children need to feel loved and supported. Period. However, when a transgender adolescent is struggling to come to terms with his/her/their identity, they need their parents even more.
Parental Support Matters. Only 15% of trans youth without parental support described their mental health as “very good” or excellent, compared to 70% of trans youth with parental support. (http://transstudent.org/youthsupport)
78% of transgender youth in K-12 had experienced harassment.(http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html/downloads/reports/reports/ntds_full.pdf)
The suicide rate for transgender kids is 40% higher than for the general population.
As a parent I want all kids to feel safe. As a member of my community I feel it is my responsibility to teach others about transgender individuals. As a human being, I don’t want teens killing themselves because they can’t be who they are. Everyone deserves a chance at life – to live an authentic life.
Did you child recently “come out” as transgender? Here is a guide for you to get started. Parent Guide
Stand with Trans will create programming to empower youth. We will offer tools to aid the coming out process. We will provide education materials for parents, grandparents, siblings, neighbors and co-workers. We will teach you how to be an ally.
As a non-profit, Stand with Trans will rely on grants, private gifts and contributions from individuals and businesses.
To get involved, send me an email. I will get back to you!
Follow us on Twitter and Tumblr.
For upcoming events for Transgender Youth, you can check out the Stand with Trans event page.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Call Him Hunter 
I tried to “send the email” per the above, but it brings up an error page. Don’t know that I can be an ALLY as I am the grandmother, not mother, of a 9 year-old ftm. I am definitely happy to STAND WITH TRANS, so please keep me posted. I am very careful, however, to keep a very low public profile because, at 9, my grandson is too young to understand a lot of things and I want to protect his privacy and let him define himself publicly. Thank you for sharing your heart.
LikeLike
My email is rozgkeith@gmail.com.
Feel free to email if that is better for you. Thanks for supporting your grandson. xo
LikeLike
Pingback: Happy 16th Birthday, Hunter! | Call Him Hunter
I just found your blog, Hunter! I wish I had found it sooner, as it would have been a great help to my niece to know others like her in the trans community. I just lost my niece Audrey last week (mtf) who was only 23, and living her authentic life, safe at home, with a loving family. My sister in law’s brother (Audrey’s uncle) harrassed her until she took her life. We are beyond devastated and the family will likely be pressing charges. We are in AZ. I would like to find resources for my brother and his wife and two surviving nieces, to help them going forward. Also to find information and guidance from anyone who has succeeded in pressing charges for this horrendous hate crime. Feel free to send any info, resources, and notes of encouragement to my5ms@aol.com and I will forward to my brother’s family. They are grieving this loss that just happened last Friday and even after Audrey’s death, the uncle still continues to harrass the family. Truly heinous. I am doing my research to see what help I can find for them as they are just completely broken. #Justice4Audrey
LikeLike
OMG – I am so very sorry for your family’s loss. I might suggest they contact the ACLU in their region. They will be very helpful as far as the bullying/harassment situation. I will ask within my network to see what kind of resources are out there for your family to help them through the grieving process. Is there a local LGBT Center? Or PFLAG chapter? They may have local resources. I will let you know what I come up with.
LikeLike
hi!! i’m a trans dude, i’m 14
i found this blog and i’ve literally been (happy) crying about it for maybe like the past hour
i have no validation of any sort from my family (aside from one cousin), but my friends are good, and school, and even the ‘popular kids’
how would i be able to explain everything to my family? my sister keeps insisting that i’m a girl, says she comes come crying from school every day because people are asking her questions abt me. my dad and mom are firm on that what trans people “do to their bodies” (surgery/binding/etc) is “barbaric” (wtf?). my brother seems the most supportive out of anyone and he’s eight. i’ve been yelled and screamed at a lot over this. my mom says that it’s very hard to get over, she’s mourning, it takes years for families to get through this, etcetc.
thank you!
LikeLike
Hi Skyler. Thank you for your note. So, first I want to say that your gender identity is valid. No one can take that away from you. Tell yourself that everyday! Second, it sounds like your family could use some education. You don’t say how old your sister, but there are so many resources and books out there for every age from toddler to adult that explain things in really simple terms. Check out https://standwithtrans.org/resources and go to the book list. Your parents may like to read The Transgender Teen and also my blog. Another book is “He’s always been my son.” If we can help in any other way, please let me know. Also, there are Ally Parents available to text. https://standwithtrans.org/ally-parents
LikeLike