"IT'S A MIXED UP, MUDDLED UP, SHOOK UP WORLD"

“If you give your child the opportunity to be who they are, they know very well who they are.” This advice, coming from Pauline Moreno, the mother of Tammy, a child who is transgender, sets the tone of last night’s CNN piece on transgender kids.

The segment focuses on children who have identified their own gender from a very early age. Dr. Jennifer Hastings, a family practitioner added, “There is no age where you are too young to know your gender, because it comes from within.” Families found support and resources from professionals like Dr. Hastings at the Gender Spectrum Family Conference.

Pauline says of their daughter, “Tammy leads the way … We have to allow Tammy to lead the way because we’re not transgender, and I don’t think we necessarily understand that.”

Fourteen-year-old Mario shares his story, “When I was little, I used to have long hair… I never liked being called ‘she,’” and goes on to say, “Eighth grade was kinda the awkwardest moments… Didn’t nobody know who I really am.” Mario’s mom Iyanna Pray pipes right in with this affirmation for her son, “When you talk about that, when you say that ‘people know me for me,’ you are you.”

Iyanna goes on to give advice for all parents out there with children who are transgender saying, “I advise you to love your kids and try and understand them and be on their side, because it’s hard fighting that battle alone.”