Whatever family looks like to you, across ties of friendship or strands of DNA, it’s important to hold your loved ones close. However, trans and non-binary parents don’t receive the same recognition that cis mothers and fathers do, making it all the more important to explore what family can mean outside of cisgendered norms.
Below, we spotlight different trans-led families to celebrate International Trans Parent Day, which falls annually on the first Sunday of November.
“When an adult decides to call you their mother, you instantly feel attached to them.”
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (all pronouns) 82 and Beck Witt (he/him) 44
Stonewall veteran, trans activist and author, Miss Major is a mother to three children: her two sons 52-year-old Jonathan (he/him), 44-year-old Christopher (he/him), and her youngest Asiah (he/him), a two-year-old. Beyond that, she is a maternal figure to many – some of whom she has never met.
In an interview with Toshio Meronek, you once said, “If your mother doesn’t treat you right, pick another mother.” You’ve been a parent figure to many in the community. How did that all begin?
MM: You don’t have a say in who refers to you as a mother. One day, years ago, a girl asked me if I would mind her calling me mother and I gladly accepted. That’s how this started and then it just overtook me! Some parents don’t always take to their children, even if they have carried that child inside of them. I never had that experience, but I can still create that emotional bond with someone. When an adult decides to call you their mother, you instantly feel attached to them.
What does being a parent mean to you?
MM: It’s everything. Kids open you up to see the world differently and make you forget all the bullshit that you’ve been through. Times change but children always remain a joy in your life. They always endear themselves to you. You constantly feel overjoyed and blessed to have them.
What advice would you give to new parents?
MM: Love them, that’s all you have to do. Care for them, look out for them and always be there for them. When you get older, they don’t have the time anymore because they’re becoming their own person and they’re moving into a new chapter. Go with the flow; don’t object to it. Cherish the time when they’re young and let them go out into the world when they’re ready.