The parents' manifesto for trans* and gender-diverse youth

The European Network of Parents of LBGTI+ Persons (ENP) have launched a policy tool, developed by a group of international parents with the help of experts in the field.

The Parents’ Manifesto is a result of an Erasmus+ project programme on Adult Education entitled: Let’s Change the Pace! - how are European trans* and gender-diverse children doing?

It gathers parents’ experiences from around Europe, and it targets the parents’ perception of the key needs of trans* children and youth within our society.

We have seen up close the negative impact endured by our trans* and gender-diverse children as they struggle in our very binary schools, sports clubs and families, sometimes sadly showing them little respect. The damaging impact often negatively influences their mental health; consequently, the whole family tends to suffer. Unfortunately, the giftedness of these children and youth is often lost or ignored rather than celebrated and appreciated as part of society’s diversity.

This Manifesto will aid policy makers and citizens to grasp the length and breadth of this human reality, which requires our serious attention as adults in our evolving world. We never truly know who may be around us, listening to our pejorative comments, our trans-phobic discourse and witnessing the damaging gestures of our body language as we go about our typical day.

We plead that you be more sensitive and aware of the impact that your words, behaviour and actions may have upon the trans* community. We know, from bitter experience, that many people struggle when faced with this trans* reality in our families. It is our duty to raise awareness, and your responsibility, as a person in authority, is to be there for each and every person within our communities. We all need to be better informed, and the Manifesto is a good start.

The ENP are willing to do their part by sharing their testimony and attending roundtable or workshop sessions anyone may wish to plan with staff or friends. ENP members pledge to support anyone along the path. You may wish to collaborate with ENP to organise training and presentations.

For more info, one may visit the website: https://enparents.org/