Parents with young transgender kid decide to return to the United States |
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By Bisckersngravy  For the record, we loved living in Singapore. It's a beautiful country with some of the most generous folks I've ever met. However, when my daughter revealed she was transgender (at the tender age of 5) we didn't know if it would be psychologically safe for us to stay. Them aunties (bless their hearts) were rather blunt, as they tend to exclaim, "are you a boy or girl?... But you look like a boy." So there was going to be a lot of explaining and that made us feel uncomfortable - we just wanted to go have a quick nice meal and not have to change hearts and minds. If later in life my daughter decides to be an activist, than more power to her but, for now, we felt making her the representative for youth trans-ness was inappropriate. We realize that the government adopts a hands-off approach to gender fluidity and identity, regardless we still needed to go back home to Colorado where gender neutral bathrooms in all public buildings (schools included) are the norm. My daughter is provided with support services, these including weekly check-ins to make sure that she is feeling comfortable, accommodated, and not being bullied. I have faith Singapore will eventually come to the realization gender is not a defining trait but rather an integral part of one's identity. In doing so, Singapore will embrace more of its own citizenry and residents currently living in the shadows and having their dreams somewhat stifled. This may perhaps be construed as a blanket statement about the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole, then again I am not preaching because the same goes for the USA, we all have a lot of work to do to be more inclusive societies. It's just I left a bit of my heart in Singapore and I want the best for it. After all, everyone is same same but yet different. |
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