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Monthly Archives: December 2013

And now ladies and gentlemen, a word from Jeremy

Before I start, I just want to let you all know that my heart goes out to those fellow trans* men, women, and people, who have no family to go home to these holidays, due to misunderstandings and unfortunate losses. I know it is difficult to live the life you have wanted to live when the people you thought would love you no matter what have decided that you are no longer deserving of their love for the way you dress and the name you choose. This family, my family, love you no matter who you are, what name, gender or clothes you have. We are here, and we will always welcome those in need. 🙂

I realise that throughout the course of 2013 my mother has been expressing to you all my journey as a young transgender man. I thought that now was a good time to give a little personal update from the trans* man himself! I wanted to thank you all for the online support that has been given to me. For the most part though, I wanted to thank my beloved mother. I know that having a child trying to find themselves in the realms of gender and sexuality would be so very difficult. I have tried my hardest to show my immense appreciation for her strength and continuous love and care for me. There are days that go by that aren’t so great, in which I see her doubt her ability to raise children. When she doubts herself, she doesn’t know how much further away from the truth she could be. This amazing woman has raised two awesome children (especially the youngest). She has taught us amazing life lessons and shown us that humility, modesty, and care for others, are just some of the things that make a great human being. I know that without her, without this amazing, wonderful, and not to mention beautiful mother, I would not be so confident to express myself, not to mention my transition would be hideously delayed.

I don’t think that Mum sees the wonderful lives that she has gifted to my brother and I. Luke and I are seen in our respective communities as mature and thoughtful young adults, with conscientious hearts and a raging loyalty to those who show similar views to our own. All in all, I really just want to show you all how much this woman has done for her family. She has cared for us, given us a roof over our head, food in our stomachs, and clothes on our backs. I love her with all my heart, and with the upcoming year, I wish you, Mum, and everyone reading this, a happy and safe holiday season and new year.

I want you to go out into the world, express yourself, and show everyone who you are. You are a wonderful and beautiful individual, and you only have this life to show the world who you are. We are an ever-expanding community of love and acceptance, so why hide your individuality?

So please, have a happy 2014, this is a whole new year just waiting for you.

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Posted by totallyterrifictigerista on December 22, 2013 in Uncategorized

Tags: Family, transgender

Jeremy, my rainbow caped hero

09 Dec

We are big on heroes at our house. One of my favourite memories from when Jeremy was a baby and Luke was six was a handmade birthday card, stick figures of a boy and a little round baby with a word bubble “my brother, my hero”. “Does she really think I am a hero?” asked Luke. “Yes honey she loves you totally and looks up to you”. “She must have worked on this for hours” said a small voice as he looked at his card again and a sibling relationship received some much needed cement as a child who was not coping with having a sibling realised that he was a very important to one small child. Year later I found that card in his memory box, I took that as a sign that I had a very significant parenting win that day.

Jeremy has had many heroes, rock stars mostly. I have watched in fascination as he has become politically aware, I think I have a budding protester on my hands – hooray!!!! He started marching for equal marriage rights in 2010 and was stoked when in 2012 he met Magda Szubanski at a rally.

Today Jeremy became my hero.

Thanks to Jeremy’s pediatrician the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria contacted Jeremy’s high school and set up a meeting. Jeremy exhibited all his usual signs of anxiety before the meeting. I am grateful he used some of the nervous energy to do a couple of loads of washing. He posted on Facebook and I am happy I told him that he didn’t need luck today, he had passion and knowledge,

Jeremy told me about the meeting after I collected him from the train station this afternoon. He was elated about the outcomes, the representative from SSVC was someone that Jeremy knew. Then Jeremy started recounting what he had said about his journey through high school. I lived that journey, but the stark raw summation by Jeremy in the car left me breathless. There were things that I was aware of, of course, like the evil little shit that tried to set Jeremy’s hair on fire. What I was not aware of was the daily grind of people, including teachers, who found themselves without the tools to be able to communicate with Jeremy. Jeremy described it like being treated like he was an object. He acknowledged that the school had done what it could, what they were all facing was ignorance. He was aware that teachers struggled with the concept of a transgender student and how to address him. He still tried to get out the door every morning to face that wall of non-understanding, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

There were positive outcomes from today. He has been invited to present to the teacher’s next year to help them learn, to demystify transgender students. The school has signed onto the SSCV.

Jeremy will probably not be at the school next year to see the changes that he has started pending his acceptance to distance education but he is willing to participate in this program to benefit the next transgender child at the school, and the one after them.

He saw the title of this blog and wants to know when he gets his cape.

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Posted by totallyterrifictigerista on December 9, 2013 in Uncategorized