Themes:
community, Catholic, French, friends, taboo, family
community, Catholic, French, friends, taboo, family
Transcript
Max: So we just try to let her know that you know, again we are not the only ones and everybody has their story. And people came before us. and people paved the way for us. Blood sweat and tears. And this is why in 2016, although a lot remains to be done, we don't expose them to that side. But we expose her to how much things have improved. And yeah get her to talk to everyone.
Ryan: I think to build on that, society has really grown up in the last five or so years. Had this happened to us you know five years ago, Would the outcome have been as smooth or wonderful as it has been. I don’t think so. I think society’s just really grown up a lot.
Max: Fast.
Ryan: …in the last number of years. you know a French Catholic Board really embracing us with open arms? Is not really something you’d expect.
Max: Unique, yeah unique.
Ryan: Even our family and friends. Even our friends who we would have thought would have had comments to make or held certain views and hard core conservatives. Once they found out - not a snicker, nothing like that. They would just they turned around and had some personal connection to a trans experience or person in their life that they brought to the table and all of the sudden….
Max: We were like what?
Ryan: It wasn’t a taboo subject because everybody around the table who we thought would be like “Hmm what does this mean?” already had an experience of their own to bring to the table.
Max: But they had no one to talk to. They had no reason to. I was like oh okay. This is great. This is providing a new platform of dialogue, opening discussion and learning and involving, so it’s great. I think the one thing that would always stick with me when it comes to the school which is insane. I know that we are kind of going on a tangent here. Is when the vice principal said to me, you know we get to be proud because you're the first family at the elementary level in this school board, and we get to say, we get to pave the way - you're paving the way. We are doing this. And we went “wow” there were like chills. That’s… that’s epic.
Ryan: Well its not something they have to deal with it, its something they want to deal with.
Max: They want to, that’s what I’m saying.
Ryan: That’s the reaction they are trying to bring.
Max: Its not a reaction it’s a we’re lets do it, gung ho. Yay, we are a team. I was floored. We walked out of that meeting and you know those papers that I brought with me, thinking that I was going to need these. I was like, so those can go in the recycling bin. I don't need these. This is….where’s the easy button? That was easy! And you know it’s not to say you know I'm such an idealist, and I have rose-tinted glasses and so on. I do know that there are going to be some milestones that are going to have some pretty tough road. But I can’t focus on those. Because I have to make sure that every step she is taking, is solid so I can’t be thinking about that one, because she might step through a crack that I forgot to warn her about. So I’m trying to be present.
Max: So we just try to let her know that you know, again we are not the only ones and everybody has their story. And people came before us. and people paved the way for us. Blood sweat and tears. And this is why in 2016, although a lot remains to be done, we don't expose them to that side. But we expose her to how much things have improved. And yeah get her to talk to everyone.
Ryan: I think to build on that, society has really grown up in the last five or so years. Had this happened to us you know five years ago, Would the outcome have been as smooth or wonderful as it has been. I don’t think so. I think society’s just really grown up a lot.
Max: Fast.
Ryan: …in the last number of years. you know a French Catholic Board really embracing us with open arms? Is not really something you’d expect.
Max: Unique, yeah unique.
Ryan: Even our family and friends. Even our friends who we would have thought would have had comments to make or held certain views and hard core conservatives. Once they found out - not a snicker, nothing like that. They would just they turned around and had some personal connection to a trans experience or person in their life that they brought to the table and all of the sudden….
Max: We were like what?
Ryan: It wasn’t a taboo subject because everybody around the table who we thought would be like “Hmm what does this mean?” already had an experience of their own to bring to the table.
Max: But they had no one to talk to. They had no reason to. I was like oh okay. This is great. This is providing a new platform of dialogue, opening discussion and learning and involving, so it’s great. I think the one thing that would always stick with me when it comes to the school which is insane. I know that we are kind of going on a tangent here. Is when the vice principal said to me, you know we get to be proud because you're the first family at the elementary level in this school board, and we get to say, we get to pave the way - you're paving the way. We are doing this. And we went “wow” there were like chills. That’s… that’s epic.
Ryan: Well its not something they have to deal with it, its something they want to deal with.
Max: They want to, that’s what I’m saying.
Ryan: That’s the reaction they are trying to bring.
Max: Its not a reaction it’s a we’re lets do it, gung ho. Yay, we are a team. I was floored. We walked out of that meeting and you know those papers that I brought with me, thinking that I was going to need these. I was like, so those can go in the recycling bin. I don't need these. This is….where’s the easy button? That was easy! And you know it’s not to say you know I'm such an idealist, and I have rose-tinted glasses and so on. I do know that there are going to be some milestones that are going to have some pretty tough road. But I can’t focus on those. Because I have to make sure that every step she is taking, is solid so I can’t be thinking about that one, because she might step through a crack that I forgot to warn her about. So I’m trying to be present.