Justin, Age 15, Texas, from the series Are You Ok?
sheet: 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
Duration: 2 minutes
Interview Text
Justin, Age 15, Texas, 2021
Justin: I don’t think it’s fair . I don’t think the politicians understand, and they don’t give us a way to express ourselves even if we wanted to.
Dad: It’s been tough. I’m very supportive, and I know Justin doesn’t watch the news like we do. These new laws are trying to make it so that if your child is under 18, they can’t transition, they can’t get on hormones, they can’t do any surgeries. They just can’t do anything.
It’s very frustrating, because it’s kind of like religion to the point where they’re telling you what you can and can’t do. And I am not a fan of people telling me how to raise my kids. At all. If my son wants to express himself or wants to be on hormones that is our right, not some ignorant politicians. Fat cats sitting in their mansions, living a life of luxury should not tell me how to parent. They’re just doing it because of the lobbyists, or because of the money. Politics, basically.
It’s hard because you tell your child, "You can do whatever you want, you can be whoever you want, you can express yourself however you want" but at the same time if you do those things before you turn 18, we might go to jail. If they pass these laws then parents will go to jail for letting their kids start hormones, and doctors are scared now because they’ll go to jail too. If the doctors are scared, what do we do? I’m afraid that this will result in people like us being forced to go to Mexico to get our kid the right healthcare, because the laws might not be there. Unfortunately, we know how that could go. The surgeons or doctors might not be as good and when surgeries go bad, people die. I think these laws are going to lead to a lot more of that, so it’s very concerning as a parent.
Mom: I want Justin to be happy with the way he sees himself. If that means going through with hormones and surgeries down the line, anything that he wants, I’m fine with that. I don’t think that politicians should blame us, or that we should be in trouble, for his happiness. We always preach Be you. I feel like it’s our choice to make sure our child is happy, not theirs.
Justin: Politicians should be more concerned with the environment right now, especially with the Coronavirus and everything. There’s more important things than trying to go against trans rights. It’s not fair at all. This is a part of me that will always be there, and I hope I inspire people to be themselves.
Sometimes it feels hard to be trans, or to express yourself. I just want to help other trans people and let them know they’re wanted and needed.
Mom: Justin’s normally pretty shy, so it’s a big deal for him to speak up. I’ve been talking to him about the anti-trans bills recently and I want him to learn how to speak up, as a life skill. I got a little emotional when he just said he wanted to help the next person in line because that’s exactly how I feel, too. I just want to help the next mom or the next kid, you know. I want them to feel accepted for who they are, just as they are.
Dad: I’m glad that Justin is speaking out because he is very quiet and conservative. We’re in an age now with social media where finding like-minded people is a lot easier, especially if your family isn’t supportive. You can find allies and people who are going through the same thing as you. I’m just like Justin. I’m quiet and reserved, but I do have a lot of things I want to say. I just don’t always know how to say it. Hopefully this project will give trans people freedom to express themselves more to their parents, or to their community, or to their politicians, and let other people know that they’re not alone.
Even though I’m not queer or gay, I’m behind you 100%. There are people behind you. People are gonna back you and fight for you, and you’re not alone. That’s the biggest thing- to let people know that they’re not alone and there’s a community out there for you. There are friends, there are loved ones that you’ve never met, but we love you anyways. We want you to be happy, we want you to express yourself. Don’t be afraid to show who you really are and what you’re all about.
