Indiana is among at least 10 states that have enacted laws prohibiting or restricting students from using pronouns or names that don’t match their sex assigned at birth, a restriction that opponents say further marginalizes transgender and nonbinary students. Most of the laws were enacted this year and are part of a historic wave of new restrictions on transgender youth approved by Republican states.
The measures are creating fear for transgender students and sowing confusion for teachers on how to comply but still offer a welcoming environment for everyone in their classes.
We have that trouble here too. We had to find a therapist for my daughter that didn’t do the Christian thing. My daughter has been an atheist all of her life. When she was six, she told her grandmother, “when I stay over on the weekend, I don’t want to go to church with you anymore because I don’t really believe in god.” But this is Indiana, and finding some non-religious counseling is not easy. Thankfully, there is a low-cost counseling center we found and she has a therapist she really likes. I don’t know about her friend though. I know he is in therapy but I don’t know much more than that. His parents are definitely supportive- they call him by his chosen name, they use his preferred pronouns and they buy him chest binders, but they apparently are crazy and bad parents in other ways. I know he self-harms and he’s 13 and already vaping and smoking weed. If I didn’t know my daughter as well as I do, I would probably encourage her to stay away from him as a bad influence, but he doesn’t pressure her and she isn’t really interested in either. I’m not shocked that he finds a way to get weed since we’re on the border with Illinois, where it’s legal, but where does 13-year-old even get an e-cig?
Anyway, despite his issues, he’s a really good friend and I hope he makes it through school okay. I’m glad the internet exists so that they can stay in touch all the time even though they’re not in school together anymore.
Sorry, I’m sort of rambling here. I just feel really bad for her friend and I wish I could help because he’s clearly not doing well.
It gets so complicated with trauma, and he really needs a great therapist, which like you said is hard to find. I’m sure your daughter is a welcome sight in a life where so many people bully him. It’s tough, and I’m afraid it’s only going to get tougher with these crazy groups like Moms for Liberty and such.
Oh yeah, Indiana will make it much worse for trans kids if the legislature can get away with it (which they can). I’m sure my daughter helps him cope, but she’s definitely not enough and I worry he won’t make it to adulthood.