Everywhere, if you are tuned into it, there is information about the devastating effects of cyber bullying on GLBTI teens. Children are at their most vulnerable during the teen years, add into the mix an openly GLBTI person and you have the potential for a devastatingly negative scenario.
The percentage of trans teens who experience mental health issues, homelessness, exclusion is disproportionately high. Our trans teens are fragile, facing exclusion because they are different, facing discrimination because they are different. Home and family should be a haven but sadly often it is not.
Recently Jeremy experienced a form of bullying on Facebook. His cry of pain when he read the words directed at him were purely primal and are etched on my brain and my heart, I was on the receiving end too via this blog, and it gave me pause because I read their opinion of me and my writing and I considered it to test if their opinion had validity. It came at a time when I was feeling vulnerable myself. I have always tried to be fair and even handed even when writing about people who have hurt my child. I stand by that.
I have little need for external validation but when it comes my way it certainly helps. Jeremy’s medical professionals have given us a big tick, he is depression free, he is well adjusted, he has some decisions to make and they are not urgent. The harsh words leveled at him recently would have laid him flat a year ago, now his resilience is so much greater he has shrugged the negative opinion off as just that, someone else’s thoughts and not a true reflection of who he is.
Day by day I see my son grow in confidence, in love, basking in the joy that is being Jeremy.
Parenting Jeremy - a gender journey 