Five moms of gender-questioning teens share uncannily similar stories

By Mary Laval

The podcast Can I Get A Witness hosted five American mothers of gender-questioning teens, all of whom suddenly identified as trans after immersing themselves online and being influenced by other trans-identifying young people. Not a single one had a childhood history of gender dysphoria or gender confusion.

The lively discussion exposed how eerily similar their children’s stories are, whether natal males or females. All are socially awkward, emotionally immature, online a lot, and hyper-focused on the trans issue. Several had experienced trauma, others were exposed to hard porn, none of them wanted to be “ordinary,” and all clearly enjoyed the “love-bombing” their trans revelations received. All the moms were terrified about impending 18th birthdays, when their children are considered adults, and shocked that schools, therapists, and other families in their communities were casting them as the villains for not automatically affirming – some were even accused of child abuse.

The moms ended the program with concrete advice:

  • Spend quality time with your children to make it clear how much you love them.
  • Upkeep family traditions.
  • Move them away from online and into the real world.
  • Take care of other unresolved issues, like depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health issues.
  • Consider family group therapy, rather than individual therapy.
  • Take care your own mental health as a parent.
  • If you are able, get involved with activism: share your story, even anonymously, through blogs, podcasts, or interviews; write letters to schools and legislators; and help other parents new to this phenomenon.

Listen here.