About

People with Aspergers Syndrome are already neurologically divergent, but add to that the complexity of gender dysphoria and life gets very interesting. And to be honest, the past few years have been some of the most difficult years of my life as a mom. I feel like I finally have some hope for the future and think that writing about our experiences will be therapeutic and a great way to keep close friends and family up-to-date. I also hope that sharing our story will help others dealing with similar issues.

MJ is incredibly intelligent, has a highly creative mind, and is a gifted artist. But the weaknesses she experiences in executive functioning have impaired her ability to realize her potential. She’s taken many college courses with both successes and failures. In March of 2015 we decided that the college path was not working so we decided to try another way forward.

We are working hard to help MJ develop a strong sense of self, to become self-reliant and independent. This is something that everyone wants for their kids. But for kids on the autism spectrum, the journey is usually rocky and the options are not always clear. Our hope is that she will find a way to thrive and to find gainful employment. We want to help her create a life that allows her to let her creative juices flow freely.

As you can imagine, dealing with gender dysphoria certainly complicates things for MJ and for the rest of the family. I’ll attempt to write about MJ’s experience of being transgender and how we navigate these uncharted waters together.

It is my intention to use this place to document our journey in the hopes of sharing information as well as for opening hearts and minds. I realize that what I will say will be controversial at times. I hope you can respect that this is a very personal journey and we’ll be making choices based on our own worldview, the guidance of God, and many professionals.

Be aware that I write from a Christian perspective. My faith has always helped me deal with the stresses I had in raising a child with Aspergers. But when MJ revealed her struggle with gender dysphoria at the age of 17, my faith was challenged. I am forced to take a much closer look for myself at what God says and what I believe about the Bible. I’m still working through this and understand that it is a process. I have come to lean on God mightily to reveal His plans for me and my child. I believe this is right where God wants me.

At this point in time, MJ has not completely transitioned and is not yet using her female name and pronouns with everyone. I will use female pronouns here and to protect our privacy, will use the name MJ. If you know us, please respect our wishes to remain anonymous, at least for now.