“The greatest thing any parent can do for their kids is to show them they are loved for who they are and for being their authentic selves,” said Peter Tchoryk, who lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan with his wife. Peter and Sarah have three children, including a son who is transgender.

Peter and Sarah know what it’s like to watch their child grapple with discrimination – and through their work organizing with transgender advocacy groups like the National Center for Transgender Equality, they’ve seen the importance of speaking out and pushing back against discrimination.

“We want our transgender youth and families to know that they are not alone and many people are actively working with a fierce urgency to create safe and supportive schools,” Peter said. “It will get better. There are local and national resources to help families with school and community interactions, from training and advocacy to legal help.”

With back-to-school season in full swing, Peter and Sarah want to underline that despite the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind guidance on how public schools can best support transgender students, the root policy – Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 – still exists and provides significant protections for transgender students.

“People need to know that many schools, ours included, successfully provide for the safety and privacy of every child – whether that child is transgender or cisgender, part of the majority or a minority,” Peter and Sarah said. “Our schools provide training to staff on diversity and inclusivity and educate students on differences, including transgender differences. It’s proven and it works.”

While it’s been challenging to see anti-transgender perspectives demonstrated so publicly in the past year, from lawmakers to anti-transgender activists to the President of the United States, Peter knows that as we confront prejudice, we also change minds.

“The positive side of visibility and the national conversation is that many people in our nation are learning the truth of what it means to be transgender or gender expansive,” he said. “We’ve reached a point in our family that anti-transgender sentiment only strengthens our resolve to tell our story, educate, and stand up for the rights of the transgender community.”

About This Story Collection
People across the country are coming together to share their stories and support transgender youth as they head back to school. Read several stories below of parents, children, professionals, and more providing insight into what it’s like to head back to school as a transgender student. Read the entire article by Freedom for ALL Americans.

Terri and Jaimie are moms who live in Grass Lake, MI. When you live in a town as small as Grass Lake, everybody knows your name. Especially when you’re as active in the community as Terri and Jaimie are. It’s what makes towns like Grass Lake special. It’s what makes towns like Grass Lake the kind of place you’d want to raise a family.

Grass Lake sits in between two somewhat larger cities, Jackson and Ann Arbor. In some ways, Grass Lake is probably representative of most rural areas in the country. Not a lot of diversity in terms of race and ethnicity. But it’s more diverse than anyone thought. Terri and Jaimie are both moms to young transgender kids.

What makes Grass Lake not so typical is that the School Board recently decided to allow transgender children to use the bathrooms matching their gender identity. And they made it clear, posting the policy on their website.

At the Grass Lake Community School Board meeting on Monday, over 100 people were present to make their voices heard. I attended the meeting, along with about 75 others in support of the school board’s decision. We heard testimony from parents who love their children, on both sides of the issue.

What always strikes me about these meetings is how passionate the community is – and how are ultimate goals are the same. We all want our children to grow up in a world where they can learn and live peacefully and productively. That is a starting point for collaboration.

What also strikes me is the level of uncertainty some people have over what will happen if schools are inclusive toward transgender kids and the larger LGBTQ community. We don’t have to guess what will happen. We have evidence from years of successful practice and the experience of school systems, educators, medical and health providers, social workers, and of course families. In fact, when you create a safe, welcoming environment for LGBTQ children, you make the school safer and more welcoming for every child.

Allowing transgender people to use the bathrooms matching their identity will not make bathrooms unsafe for others – the fears are simply unfounded. There is much evidence debunking these bathroom myths.

People don’t often stop to realize that transgender people, transgender kids have been around as long as everyone else – they have just been forced to keep hidden. They have been using the bathrooms, facilities, and public spaces just like you and me. Many schools across the nation are already complying with Title IX – transgender children have been using bathrooms matching their identify for years. This includes Michigan schools.

And there has been no surge in assaults in the over 200 cities and 19 states (plus DC) that have ordinances allowing transgender people to use the bathrooms matching their identity. I can tell you where there has been a surge in crime, and that is against the transgender community, especially transgender people of color.

In spite of the evidence, the debunking of irrational fears, and the real experiences of millions of people, some still insist on denying basic human rights — bathroom rights included — to the transgender community. What is more worrisome is the continued dehumanization of our transgender community at the highest levels of government, federal and state. The resulting fear and uncertainty can cause otherwise caring people to ignore the evidence and circle the wagons around their own children.

This is what makes our public schools unique – and so valuable. Their mission is to ensure every single child, even those living on the margins, have a safe and supportive learning environment. Separate bathrooms and segregating transgender kids does not provide them with a safe or supportive environment – it does just the opposite. It endangers them and it dehumanizes them, just like it did with our African American community. Just like it did with anyone who lives on the margin. And schools across the country have successfully managed privacy for all students while allowing transgender children to use the bathrooms and facilities that match their gender identity. But it does underscore the need for guidance and education on these topics, which is what we’re all about.

Gender identity and sexual orientation are on a spectrum, like so many other things in life. We know that gender identity manifests as early as two years old. And we have on-going longitudinal studies that show transgender kids are not making this up. There are results in the Journal of Pediatrics showing that supporting transgender kids in their identity lowers their risk of mental health problems to the same levels as the rest of the population. It may ultimately have an impact on the 40+% of the transgender community that attempt suicide.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and every major medical and mental health organization recognize that affirming a child’s gender identity is critical to their well being. Pediatricians also recognize that legislation like bathroom bills put our kids at great risk – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Allowing transgender kids to live authentically will not only make a better, safer world for them, it will make a better, safer world for all kids. It will not only make the world safer in terms of physical threats, but mentally and emotionally as well. And when we educate kids on the truth of transgender and gender expansive kids, every child will benefit, because every child has differences and needs to know they are valued. This is how we make a better world.

And when we consider the goals of our educational system to prepare kids for life and for meaningful, productive careers, think about this:  the majority of companies in our country also recognize the rights of transgender people to use the bathrooms and facilities that match their identity. Diversity powers innovation, enlightenment, and groundbreaking discoveries. It’s one reason why companies signed on to a Supreme Court “friend of the court” brief supporting transgender student Gavin Grimm and against the “bathroom bill” in Texas.

As we approach the start of another school year, schools across the country are grappling with transgender policy. The Department of Justice, Department of Education and the current administration have made the situation much more dangerous for transgender youth and the entire LGBTQ community with its recent rescission of school guidance and rejection of supportive policies for transgender soldiers and their families serving in our military. The lack of guidance has also made it more difficult for school systems trying to be inclusive toward the LGBTQ community.

The current leadership in the State of Michigan has not stood up for equality of all its citizens, opposing basic human rights for the LGBTQ community at every turn. But at the request of educators and parents, the Michigan State Board of Education (SBE) last year adopted guidelines for the Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for LGBTQ Students.

These guidelines are based on the best practices and input from educators, health and mental health providers, social workers, organizations dedicated to preventing bullying and sexual assault, attorneys, and many other who wanted a seat at the table. In addition, input was received from the public over numerous SBE meetings and an open forum on the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) website. While these guidelines are neither law nor policy, they provide a starting point for schools that want to ensure every child has a safe learning environment. Workshops and training are taking place throughout the state.

It always starts with education.

My wife and I live in a small town, too. Dexter, MI is not unlike Grass Lake, though much closer to Ann Arbor. Since we discovered our son was transgender, my wife and I spend much of our time trying to explain it to people, trying to educate. We feel fortunate that our eyes were opened by our son, because it was an awakening. An awakening to reality, the truth, and the daily struggles of those who are marginalized, either by birth or by society.

Though it’s difficult to see the world through another person’s eyes, we try to share this experience. We understand how difficult it can be, because it took having a transgender child to really open our eyes. Some people get it right away, especially if they or a family member are marginalized. For others it may take longer, and that’s why we continue to tell our story.

We commend our Dexter Schools and Grass Lake Community Schools for supporting and defending the well being of every single child – even those living on the margin. Stay strong – our kids need you.

Peter and Sarah Tchoryk are on the Human Rights Campaign Parents for Transgender Equality National Council and work with many families, schools, and companies to help create a world where every child can grow up to live peacefully and productively. Peter is the CEO of Michigan Aerospace and Advisor to the Springmatter Fund. Sarah is a 5^th grade teacher in Brighton, MI. They have three wonderful kids and three grandkids — all unique.

The Rest of the Story

Our story begins like so many others. Our then 2-yr-old child began insisting he was a boy. This of course would not be unusual, except we assumed he was a girl based on gender assigned at birth. In most cases a good assumption. As soon as he could speak and express himself, however, it became clear that assumption was incorrect. We came to learn that the insistent, consistent, and persistent behavior of being a different identity is a tell tale sign. It is not a casual dislike of the clothes, hairstyle, name, and anatomy of the assigned identity. It is a desperate, despondent, and fierce rejection. One that threatened his life.

When it came time for Kindergarten, our Principal, Craig McCalla of Cornerstone Elementary in Dexter, MI, had no previous experience with transgender issues. But he assured us his job was to create a safe and supportive learning environment for every child. Every. Child. It’s why he implements solutions that protect the mainstream and majority of children. It’s why he implements solutions that protect even the smallest percentage of marginalized children.

Our schools very successfully explained to our son’s 2^nd and 3^rd grade classes what it means to be transgender in the context of all differences. Do you know what happened? The kids got it. They asked few if any questions of my son and instead talked about how they feel when their own differences are not honored.

You can do this because gender is completely separate from sexuality. It’s worth saying again – gender identity and sexual orientation are two different things. You can do this because schools already teach about differences and diversity at age-appropriate levels. They already teach kids about their peers who may be of a different race or religion, or have learning or physical challenges, or a host of other differences. And as Adam Briggle, the dad of another transgender child, expressed so well, “I’ll tell Max (my son) as he gets older that his experience of gender is somewhere on the margins of society. But that’s all right. In fact, lots of great stuff happens on the margins.” That’s a message every child should hear.

Like Grass Lake, Dexter is a small town, too, though not quite as rural. We are thankful because our school board, Superintendent, educators and staff have all been extraordinarily supportive. After four years, the school system is more welcoming than ever before. They don’t just tolerate, they embrace. They provide training to help their staff become even more effective educators. They see the value in every child and actively work to help every child — even those who live on the margins. And it’s just the beginning.

Gender and sexual orientation are two different things. Many people are learning that both gender and sexual orientation are on a spectrum, like so many other things in life. We know that gender identity manifests as early as two years old. And in addition to the millions of people with personal experiences, we have on-going longitudinal studies that show transgender kids are not making this up. There are results in the Journal of Pediatrics showing that supporting transgender kids in their identity lowers their risk of mental health problems to the same levels as the rest of the population. It may ultimately have an impact on the 40+% of the transgender community that attempt suicide.

There is evidence and experience in welcoming schools around the country that demonstrate that allowing transgender kids to live authentically does not in any way threaten other children. In fact, when you create a safe, welcoming environment for LGBTQ children, you make the school safer and more welcoming for every child. Every child has differences.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and every major medical and mental health organization recognize that affirming a child’s gender identity is critical to their well being. Pediatricians also recognize that legislation like bathroom bills put our kids at great risk – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Of course, in spite of the evidence, the debunking of irrational fears, and the real experiences of millions of people, some still insist on a traditional binary definition of gender.

Allowing transgender kids to live authentically will not only make a better, safer world for them, it will make a better, safer world for all kids. It will not only make the world safer in terms of physical threats, but mentally and emotionally as well. And when we educate kids on the truth of transgender and gender expansive kids, every child will benefit, because every child has differences and needs to know they are valued. This is how we make a better world.

Our school systems have always been on the front lines of justice. From Ruby Bridges and the Little Rock Nine integrating the first schools in the south, to the inclusion of physically challenged kids and those with learning challenges, and now today with transgender kids and the entire LGBTQ community.

But we know it doesn’t end there. After the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education, states and communities still resisted integration and fought it tooth and nail. And when some gains had been made through efforts like the bus boycott, many white people called on the black community to slow down and not push so hard. They would say cool off and give everyone more time to consider things. Dr. King’s answer was essentially this, if we cool off any more, we’ll be dead. When people are dying as a result of injustice, there can be no more cooling off.

Just like with segregation of African Americans, it was never just about separate schools or bathrooms. The separation of facilities is merely a symptom. It is not the underlying problem.

Many of the same justifications for segregating our African American population are being used today against our transgender community. It wasn’t long ago when many parents said white children would not be safe in a bathroom with black children because of the potential for sexual assault. Some still believe that today.

Many people said they had a right to privacy, white privacy, and did not want to be around black people in bathrooms or changing facilities. Or schools. Or churches. Or restaurants. Or waiting rooms, or busses, trains, theaters, or parks. It spreads quickly. And it doesn’t stop on its own.

African Americans also faced dehumanization by churches and faith-based organizations that used the Bible and pointed to many verses in scripture to justify segregation and even slavery.

When these arguments failed to keep hold, they morphed into arguments of safety and cultural inferiority, complete with false but widely disseminated scientific and philosophical arguments.

When even those arguments failed to hold, and after 100+ years of segregation, people simply dug in around Jim Crow laws. Unjust laws that defied our own Declaration of Independence and Constitution and the self-evident truth that we are all created equal. Many people saw the Civil Rights movement as a way for the African American community to get special treatment and even pointed out that they were, after all, only a relatively small percentage of the population.

The events in Charlottesville, VA and in many other parts of our country show how far we still have to go.

I’ve sat in many school board meetings and have heard similar arguments. Instead of African American rights and segregation, it’s about transgender kids and allowing them to use the bathrooms in which they identify.

Some people say they love our transgender children, too. But they go on to say that providing for the wellbeing of a small percentage of transgender kids is simply too much to ask, too much of an inconvenience – even when the lives of our kids are at great risk. Even when a perceived inconvenience can be turned into a teaching moment that will make this world safer and better for all.

I guess we should not be too surprised, because there was a time when people used this argument against small percentages of many other kids. In addition to race, religion, and nationality, there is a depressing history of neglect, seclusion, and mistreatment of kids with physical and learning disabilities, kids on the Autism spectrum, kids with hearing or vision impairments, and kids with Down Syndrome, to name a few. We’ve been here before.

This is what makes our public schools unique – and so valuable. Their mission is to ensure every single child, even those living on the margins, have a safe and supportive learning environment. Separate bathrooms and segregating transgender kids does not provide them with a safe or supportive environment – it does just the opposite. It endangers them and it dehumanizes them, just like it did with our African American community. Just like it did with anyone who lives on the margin.

So why help small percentages of marginalized kids in the first place? Why welcome kids who are marginalized into the mainstream? If the moral and social obligation is not enough for you, consider this – diversity is what powers life. You don’t have to be a scientist to see this. It’s evident all around us. Without diversity in nature, life ceases to exist.

Diversity also powers innovation, enlightenment, and groundbreaking discoveries – diversity not only in race, nationality, or culture, but diversity borne from different experiences. The experiences of marginalized and disadvantaged communities give them insights that those growing up in privilege will never have. It’s also one reason why organizations and companies value diversity and inclusivity.

And when we consider the goals of our educational system to prepare kids for life and for meaningful, productive careers, think about this:  the majority of companies in our country also recognize the rights of transgender people to use the bathrooms and facilities that match their identity.

Here are just the companies who signed on to a Supreme Court “friend of the court” brief supporting transgender student Gavin Grimm to use the bathroom of his identity, in G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board:

Here are the companies standing up against the “bathroom bill” in Texas, led by the likes of AT&T, IBM, Dell, Kimberly-Clark, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Texas Instruments, Apple, Google, and Facebook, and who have signed a letter to the governor:

These companies and many more will sign on to court cases in the future. And there are millions of small and mid-size companies around the country that are inclusive to transgender people and making their voices heard, too.

Our hearts go out to the kids whose parents refuse to understand the truth of being LGBTQ. Those kids are missing out on a great gift. When they enter college and then the workforce, they will learn that companies allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of their identity. They will learn that companies value diversity and inclusion and expect employees to honor differences. They will have LGBTQ coworkers and bosses, because our marginalized, disenfranchised kids will be tomorrow’s leaders and innovators, too.

Our goal is to give every child a chance to learn about the power of diversity, inclusiveness, and equity from a very young age.

It starts with education.

Peter and Sarah Tchoryk are on the Human Rights Campaign Parents for Transgender Equality National Council and work with many organizations, companies, and schools to help create a world where every child can grow up to live peacefully and productively. You can reach us by sending an email through the contact form at www.Springmatter.org and you can find more information about our story at http://embrace.today.

How many of our kids dream of going into space? How many dream of just getting through the next day?

As a kid of the 60’s, I’ve been inspired by NASA and the space program for as long as I can remember. It was the reason I went into engineering. I dreamed of endless possibilities.

But for many, the possibilities were far from endless. It was a daily struggle to survive. It still is.

I was born a couple weeks after Dr. King gave life to the Dream – and only a couple days before the horrific bombing of the 16th St. Baptist Church and vicious murders that ended the lives of four little girls and twoyoung boys.

As a nation, how do we reconcile our ability to land a man on the moon within a decade and our inability to end the systematic, violent oppression committed over centuries?

How is it possible for otherwise loving people to ignore the dehumanizing effects that result from segregating and isolating others? People who say they harbor no ill-will against the oppressed, but perpetuate a culture of ill-will.

Dr. King spoke of the strange paradoxes of a nation founded on the principle that all men were created equal, fighting to maintain a culture of institutionalized segregation and discrimination.

This culture persists today.

On what is being called “Discrimination Sunday,” Texas legislators would have made their Jim Crow-era counterparts proud. One of the bills passed by the Texas House, SB2078, includes an amendment preventing transgender K-12 children from using bathrooms matching their gender identity.

Perhaps we should not be surprised.

Bathrooms and public spaces were used like a weapon during the Jim Crow era, as segregationists preyed on fears that African Americans would assault white women and children or pass on diseases. Many of the same scare tactics used to justify segregating African Americans are being used today against transgender people, including children.

These scare tactics were used to great effect in Houston and North Carolina and adopted as a model by other states trying to pass anti-transgender legislation.

How is it possible states can pass this type of legislation despite the overwhelming evidence debunking false claims about safety?

This is not just about bathrooms. And we’ve been here before.

In her enlightening book, Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly introduced us to the extraordinary contributions African American women made to NASA and our space program. It was also a stark reminder of the culture of normalcy around segregation and discrimination that endured into the Space Age.

African American women like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson made great contributions scientifically – and in breaking down barriers of segregation and discrimination. They took a stand.

I ask that the people of Texas take a stand – this time with transgender children and their families.

“All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Segregation … ends up relegating persons to the status of things. Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and awful. [MLK]”

Segregation and “separate but equal” are a thinly veiled rejection of the truth that we are all created equal. Segregation dehumanizes. It isolates and denigrates – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

State Rep. Senfronia Thompson of Houston spoke passionately against the legislation:

“White. Colored. I was living through that era…bathrooms divided us then, and it divides us now.

America has long recognized that separate but equal is not equal at all.” “I can also tell you that separate restrooms for transgender kids, which is what we will be discussing for this bill, are also based on fear and not fact.”

Carlotta Walls LaNier, one of nine African American students who integrated Little Rock Central High School, told TIME that she agrees transgender children should be allowed to use bathrooms matching their gender identify:

“I grew up in a Jim Crow environment where you had one sign that said, ‘Colored’ and one said ‘White.’ Here we are looking at some of the same situations … To me, it’s just going backwards. I think that they should demand their rights.”

Thankfully, the lessons of the past are not lost on all.

Businesses including IBM, Dell, Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, and many others recognize the value of diversity and signed a letter opposing this harmful legislation.

As a parent to a young transgender child and the CEO of an aerospace company, I appeal to the millions of companies and organizations in Texas and elsewhere to do the same.

To those who may have been silent about injustices in the past — it is never too late to speak out.

To those who may have made the wrong choice in the past — it is never too late for redemption.

And as we speak out against injustice, we know of a wondrous power:

“For nonviolence not only calls upon its adherents to avoid external physical violence, but it calls upon them to avoid internal violence of spirit. It calls on them to engage in that something called love … When I say ‘love’ at this point, I’m not talking about an affectionate emotion. It’s nonsense to urge people, oppressed people, to love their oppressors in an affectionate sense. I’m talking about something much deeper. I’m talking about a sort of understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men … And isn’t it marvelous to have a method of struggle where it is possible to stand up against an unjust system, fight it with all of your might, never accept it, and yet not stoop to violence and hatred in the process?”

So now, through this redemptive power of love, we can dream of endless possibilities.

Peter and Sarah Tchoryk live in Michigan and have three kids and three grandkids. They strive to create meaningful opportunities for all kids — and fulfill the Dream.

“Calling All Real Superheroes” as seen in Huffington Post

We are enamored with superheroes in our country. It’s a part of our culture and I think captures our inherent desire to overcome adversity and help others. To fight for good. The problem is we actually need real ones today. And lots of them.

I’m encouraging my kids and grandkids to be their own superhero. I want them to know that each one of them is strong and each one of them can make this world a better place. This is an especially important message to kids who are marginalized in some way, and in our case, our transgender son.

But it is my message to everyone. This isn’t the time to be afraid. This isn’t the time to back away and let others fight the fight. It’s time for all of us, the sleeping giants, to realize we have a greater mission in this world. Get your mask. Get your cape, if you’re so inclined. It’s time to enter the fray.

So what kind of superheroes do we need? Much of the suffering and violence in the world today is caused by those who cling to a world-view that is narrow and unbending and unaccepting of any differences. A world-view that cultivates intolerance. A world-view that sanctions discrimination and denies rights to those who are different. I think this is a good place to start for our superheroes.

If there is one thing our country should agree on, it is embracing differences. If there is one thing our country should get right, it is equality and justice for all. And yet, while we preach against the oppressive forces in our world, many of our own citizens and leaders seem unable to accept differences right here in our own country. People who should know better, but continue to deny rights to those who deserve them. First and foremost, our superheroes should be a voice for equality and stand up for the underdogs.

I’d venture that most people would already say they stand up for the underdogs in this world. And I’ll bet every parent has talked to their kids about standing up to bullies. Yet many of these same people fail to support those who need it most. The marginalized communities. People of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, and the most persecuted and least understood, our transgender and LGBQ communities.

Ironically, I’ll bet many of those same people who vehemently oppose equality for marginalized groups love taking their kids to see superhero movies. They love watching the defenders of equality and justice stand up for the oppressed. If only people realized they have an opportunity, in real life, to be a superhero to a kid in need. Especially for transgender and gender non-conforming kids, who see a world of adults condemning them just for being who they are.

Gender identity seems particularly hard for some to grasp. I know there are some who will never get it. I guess that’s life. And that’s why we will always need superheroes. But I believe many more will open their hearts and minds. For some, all it will take is getting to know a transgender child and their family. It’s why we tell our story. For some, it will require a deeper understanding of the nature and science of gender identity. It’s why we strive for education.

Our family, among many others, has been working with Michigan’s State Board of Education to provide basic guidelines to our educators so they can help create a safer, more inclusive environment for LGBTQ kids. The guidance is now being revised after multiple public forums and thousands of on-line comments were considered. The updated version will be released and reviewed later this summer.

The recommended guidance, however, has led to a firestorm of resistance. Much of the tempest has been directed at transgender students, their families, and the people standing up for us. Some of it comes from people who believe the predator myth, though it has been thoroughly debunked. Some of it comes from religious extremists, who condemn anyone who believes differently. And some of it comes from the legislators. It led to two bathroom bills being introduced in Michigan, part of the massive wildfire of legislation spreading across the country by those who seek to deny civil rights for the LGBTQ community.

And that was just the beginning. Along with ten other states, Michigan’s Attorney General now seeks to overturn federal guidelines for schools on protecting the rights of transgender students. Specifically, their lawsuit challenges the inclusion of gender identity under Titles VII and IX, despite the strong justification for it. The guidance offered by the Federal Government is essential for the health and safety of these kids. They are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. They have no protection against discrimination. And they are at the highest risk for harassment, bullying, assault, and suicide.

Not everyone is giving in to the fear, however, as a dozen states have now filed a counterpoint brief showing why these protections are strongly in the public’s interest. Thankfully, there are people who recognize we have an obligation to provide rights for all our citizens.

The truth is we have an obligation to humanity. And when we see inequality and injustices being committed against our fellow human beings, it is our duty to act. In the words of Elie Wiesel, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides.”

Our military has recently taken sides, ending the ban on transgender people being able to serve openly. They realized our transgender soldiers make our military stronger. They make our country stronger. The contrast between the U.S. military’s position on transgender service and those opposing transgender rights is stark. Our military personnel put themselves in harm’s way for everyone’s sake. That makes them heroes. And by standing up for the most vulnerable, our military personnel are superheroes in my eyes. They have taken a bold stand, joining the Department of Education, Department of Justice, and our President. I am grateful.

Our family is also fortunate to have superheroes in our everyday lives. People who know they will face criticism, yet advocate for the transgender kids in our schools. People like our elementary school principal, Craig McCalla, and the President of Michigan’s State Board of Education, John Austin. Leaders who take a stand for all kids, including the most vulnerable. The classmates and friends of my son who know he is transgender and treat him just like any other boy. My son’s sisters and the siblings of many other transgender kids, who are often their fiercest allies. And of course the strongest of all, our LGBTQ and other marginalized kids, who not only deal with their internal struggles, but face a society that opposes them just for being who they are. It comes down to courage. And they have it.

I’m calling for people to summon their courage and not give in to divisiveness, hate, and fear. I’m calling for people from all walks of life, the sleeping giants, to awaken and become a superhero for a kid in need. Hold our leaders accountable to support the rights of all our citizens, including LGBTQ and all those who are marginalized. Some will do the right thing. Make your voice heard against those who try to deny equality. Embrace all differences, whether of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and all those who do not fit within a neatly labeled box. Show the world we are not hypocrites when it comes to equality and justice for all. Lead by example and we will make this great country of ours even greater. We will make the world a better place for all kids.

I’m calling all real superheroes.

Oh, and if you must have a cape, make sure it’s quick release. Remember The Incredibles.