Invite Your Trans Friends for the Holidays
The holidays can be rough for anyone. However, imagine navigating the holidays after being ostracized by your friends and family. This is a reality for many transgender people.
I am one of the fortunate ones, partly because I came out later in life, and partly because I have an amazing group of friends and family. I won’t be alone during the holidays because my friends and I always gather together for Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. Occasionally, I’ll even make the trek to my home state of Illinois and celebrate Christmas with the family I have there.
So many transgender people don’t have those options. Many remain hidden, miserable within their own skin, afraid to come out for fear of being rejected by their friends and family. Others, who do take that courageous step to start living their authentic selves, and begin to transition socially and medically, often do face the very rejection they always feared.
If you know someone who is transgender and not able to spend the holidays with family or friends, consider inviting them to join you for the holidays. Whether you plan to have a large gathering or were also going to be alone, letting them know they are welcome would likely mean the world to them. Even if they decide not to accept, knowing that someone wanted to spend time with them during the holidays can help…
