Willow
2011-04-26 01:37:07 UTC
This is a wonderful statement of support by a father for a your
transsexual/transgender person.
Usher will no doubt condemn this father for his use of the word
transgender. I applaud a father who loves his child..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/dad-transgender-daughter_b_850865.html
My name is Wayne Maines, I live in Old Town. I have a 13-year-old
transgender daughter. In the beginning, I was not onboard with this
reality. Like many of you I doubted transgender children could exist,
I doubted my wife and I doubted our counselors and doctors. However I
never doubted my love for my child. It was only through observing her
pain and her suffering and examining my lack of knowledge about these
issues did I begin to question my behavior and my conservative values.
I learned that the medical standard of care requires parents seek
assistance from a panel of experts. We did this and our team of
doctors recommended my daughter to live fully as a girl. We cannot
turn back now.
When my daughter lost her privileges at school and both children and
adults targeted her, I knew I had to change and I have never looked
back.
When we moved to Maine, it was clear my daughter was transitioning
from male to female with us or without us. She used the girl's
bathroom with no fanfare; she was confident and very social. Her
strong personality helped the entire school transition right along
side of her. She was proud and secure with herself and when people
asked at the young age of six she openly stated that she was a girl
trapped in a boy's body.
The transformation was amazing, but her happiness would not last.
Unfortunately the fears of others would destroy everything that our
team of doctors, teachers, school counselors, friends and classmates
had work so hard to establish.
I know that it is difficult for some of you to understand the needs of
transgender children. You only need to spend some time with these kids
to see that they are struggling and suffering beyond your imagination
only because they are singled out and misunderstood. They are just
like your children and grandchildren; they have the same hopes and the
same dreams.
In the fifth grade because of significant negative exposure we had to
take drastic measures to protect her from harm, including splitting
our family up to go in hiding and we are not the only family that has
had to do so. When she was told she could no longer use the
appropriate bathroom her confidence and self-esteem took a major hit.
Prior to this my daughter often said, "Dad being transgender is no big
deal, my friends and I have it under control." I was very proud of
her. It was only when adults became involved with their unfounded
fears that her world would be turned upside down. "She came to me
crying and asked, "Daddy what did I do wrong? Daddy please fix this?"
That is what dads do -- we fix things. I had to break her heart and
say, "You have not done anything wrong sweetie, but Mommy and I do not
know how to fix this, but we will try."
Continuing to single these kids out is not necessary. Having the
opportunity to use the bathrooms of their true gender is essential for
these kids' well being. This bill places transgender children in a
position of doom and hopelessness. This bill tells my daughter that
she does not have the same rights as her classmates and reinforces her
opinion that she has no future. Help me give her the future she
deserves. Do not pass this bill.
transsexual/transgender person.
Usher will no doubt condemn this father for his use of the word
transgender. I applaud a father who loves his child..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-herman/dad-transgender-daughter_b_850865.html
My name is Wayne Maines, I live in Old Town. I have a 13-year-old
transgender daughter. In the beginning, I was not onboard with this
reality. Like many of you I doubted transgender children could exist,
I doubted my wife and I doubted our counselors and doctors. However I
never doubted my love for my child. It was only through observing her
pain and her suffering and examining my lack of knowledge about these
issues did I begin to question my behavior and my conservative values.
I learned that the medical standard of care requires parents seek
assistance from a panel of experts. We did this and our team of
doctors recommended my daughter to live fully as a girl. We cannot
turn back now.
When my daughter lost her privileges at school and both children and
adults targeted her, I knew I had to change and I have never looked
back.
When we moved to Maine, it was clear my daughter was transitioning
from male to female with us or without us. She used the girl's
bathroom with no fanfare; she was confident and very social. Her
strong personality helped the entire school transition right along
side of her. She was proud and secure with herself and when people
asked at the young age of six she openly stated that she was a girl
trapped in a boy's body.
The transformation was amazing, but her happiness would not last.
Unfortunately the fears of others would destroy everything that our
team of doctors, teachers, school counselors, friends and classmates
had work so hard to establish.
I know that it is difficult for some of you to understand the needs of
transgender children. You only need to spend some time with these kids
to see that they are struggling and suffering beyond your imagination
only because they are singled out and misunderstood. They are just
like your children and grandchildren; they have the same hopes and the
same dreams.
In the fifth grade because of significant negative exposure we had to
take drastic measures to protect her from harm, including splitting
our family up to go in hiding and we are not the only family that has
had to do so. When she was told she could no longer use the
appropriate bathroom her confidence and self-esteem took a major hit.
Prior to this my daughter often said, "Dad being transgender is no big
deal, my friends and I have it under control." I was very proud of
her. It was only when adults became involved with their unfounded
fears that her world would be turned upside down. "She came to me
crying and asked, "Daddy what did I do wrong? Daddy please fix this?"
That is what dads do -- we fix things. I had to break her heart and
say, "You have not done anything wrong sweetie, but Mommy and I do not
know how to fix this, but we will try."
Continuing to single these kids out is not necessary. Having the
opportunity to use the bathrooms of their true gender is essential for
these kids' well being. This bill places transgender children in a
position of doom and hopelessness. This bill tells my daughter that
she does not have the same rights as her classmates and reinforces her
opinion that she has no future. Help me give her the future she
deserves. Do not pass this bill.