Dear Therapist: I Love My Trans Daughter, but I’m Still Struggling
He doesn’t pressure me to meet his emotional and sexual needs, but we don’t talk about what’s happened either
Last summer when my son came home from college, he told my husband and me that he is trans. He said he is a girl, and I am having trouble with this.
My son and I were always very close. I struggled to get pregnant and when it happened, it felt like a miracle. He is my only child, and I was a stay-at-home mom while my husband traveled and worked a lot.
Now she has a new name, one I had no say in choosing. She confides in my husband more than me, which leaves me feeling like an outsider. Although I’m assured that I’ve gained a daughter, my input on clothing and hygiene is no longer solicited.
I expected some loss when view I sent my child to school. I knew I couldn’t be his best friend forever, but I didn’t think I’d lose everything. It feels like a death. I don’t know how to process the grief. It sneaks up on me, and I have to hide in the bathroom to cry. It’s overtaking everything.