Cindy Parks: True face of transgender

As a rule, I don’t keep Christmas cards past New Year’s. But a friend I haven’t seen in 20 years sent me one with photos from her eldest son’s wedding. I kept it because I knew my friend feared this son would not live to see his 21st birthday much less find true love.

This son was born with a gender identity that did not fit. His birth certificate denotes female, but by puberty, this child was tormented and suicidal. Years of family counseling and slow, measured steps (including selection of a LGBT-supportive university) made this child whole.

If my friend had dismissed her child’s pain, this family celebration would not have been possible. It was a big church wedding with five bridesmaids and groomsmen. Bride in ivory gown. Groom in black tux. You can see how proud.

This is the true face of transgender. It is regular people with regular lives and relationships.

People like my friend’s son are seeking gender-neutral bathrooms for their own privacy protection. They are a vulnerable part of our community, not a predatory one.

HB2 doesn’t protect women and children. It hurts them.

This story was originally published April 16, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Cindy Parks: True face of transgender."