Acceptance at home is one of the most decisive factors in the well-being or suffering of trans minors. It is the place where individuals find their footing and from which, when everything falters, they try to recover. When there is support at home, the transition is usually experienced with relief and greater self-esteem, which often protects against anxiety, isolation, depression, and even self-harming behaviors that the process of social transition and self-recognition can cause.
This is reflected in the stories of several trans adolescents and their families, compiled in the social diagnosis Eskubide Berdintasunak, Realidades de Infancias y Adolescencias en Situación de Transexualidad, promoted by the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. These are first-person accounts, such as that of an 18-year-old from Gipuzkoa who describes the moment he stopped hiding as a liberation. He emphasizes that his parents' acceptance was the most important thing.
“"Life hit me hard, but once I overcame the initial shock, I told him he would always have his family's support."
However, this is not always the case. The report includes the story of a 14-year-old from Donostia whose mother could not accept the situation, leading to an unsustainable coexistence at home. In another instance, the relationship between a 15-year-old trans boy and his mother is one of the toughest yet most uplifting. The minor lives in a town in Gipuzkoa with over 20,000 inhabitants and underwent his social transition three years ago. It is a story of overcoming adversity, of a home alliance to improve the son's health and alleviate his “severe” psychological suffering.
Naizen, the Association of Families of Transsexual Minors of Euskadi and Navarre, is a fundamental entity in this process. It was created by families to accompany, advise, and support trans children, adolescents, and their parents and environment. Many interviewees recognize Naizen as “a safe space to share your problems.”
The report emphasizes that one of the keys to supporting trans minors is ensuring they have a trusted adult to talk to and who can be their daily support. Furthermore, it states that listening and not forcing them to adopt labels is essential. Suffering does not disappear suddenly, but naming it allows one to begin addressing it.
