As trans visibility increases, one would think that the reception for people coming out as trans would be a little less negative. I’ve found that my trans friends have been met with loads of understanding and support after coming out. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy for families of trans people to afford the same grace. While in the worst-case scenarios, trans people are abandoned or even attacked by their close-minded families, indifference or selective acceptance can be almost as damaging. 

For every supportive parent, there’s another (or a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) who can’t bring themselves to treat their trans kin the way they deserve. One doting single father describes this exact situation in a recent post in the r/AmITheAsshole subreddit. In the post, OP asks the community whether he’s «the asshole» for storming off from his sister’s wedding after she deadnamed his trans son, Connor.

For those who are unaware, «deadnaming» is the act of using a trans person’s pre-transition name. In this case, Connor’s deadname is Nia.