This is very similar to my own experience. I was a girl with short hair, who dressed up in waistcoats and bowties, and who was primarily interested in sporty stuff. My parents were chilled about it and simply saw me as their child -- in the 80s and 90s there was no preoccupation with applying labels.
This is very similar to my own experience. I was a girl with short hair, who dressed up in waistcoats and bowties, and who was primarily interested in sporty stuff. My parents were chilled about it and simply saw me as their child -- in the 80s and 90s there was no preoccupation with applying labels.
I grew up to be bisexual (and primarily same-sex-orientated in a romantic sense). Again, I was allowed to discover this by myself, no parental steering or judgment involved. When I was ready to talk openly about it in my early 20s, my parents were receptive and accepting.
This is how you support kids who are different or non-conforming when it comes to gender expression and/or sexuality. Parents can guide and support, but it is completely counterproductive to instruct or impose rigid definitions of identity.
This is very similar to my own experience. I was a girl with short hair, who dressed up in waistcoats and bowties, and who was primarily interested in sporty stuff. My parents were chilled about it and simply saw me as their child -- in the 80s and 90s there was no preoccupation with applying labels.
I grew up to be bisexual (and primarily same-sex-orientated in a romantic sense). Again, I was allowed to discover this by myself, no parental steering or judgment involved. When I was ready to talk openly about it in my early 20s, my parents were receptive and accepting.
This is how you support kids who are different or non-conforming when it comes to gender expression and/or sexuality. Parents can guide and support, but it is completely counterproductive to instruct or impose rigid definitions of identity.