Janna Barkin and her husband Gabriel and are coming up on their one-year anniversary on A Dock. On Thursday, June 6, she will be speaking in City Hall on Understanding Gender Identity, based on her book He’s Always Been My Son.
Here’s a brief excerpt from the introduction to the book:
There was not an ah-hah moment when I just knew my child was transgender. My husband Gabriel and I were very aware that Amaya was not your average “tomboy.” The signs were always there, from the way he insisted upon being dressed to the so-called “boy” toys he consistently chose to play with, to the way he carried himself and moved his body. My understanding and acceptance developed over a long period of time and followed closely with my child’s understanding and acceptance of himself.
When I first started looking for information and support to help me understand my child, I was lucky to find some great resources. But at the time there were only a scant few voices and websites that were able to provide information and perspective about parenting a transgender child. (Actually, I am not sure the word “blog” even existed when I began exploring this subject almost 15 years ago.) Now there are so many great resources available on the Internet and elsewhere. Sadly, there is also a lot of misinformation, fear, hate, and ignorance.
Janna will speak in Council Chambers at 7:00 pm.
related post: Book Reading at the Library – Thursday Jan 18