Janet Mock Opens Up About Her Dad's Gender Policing

Transgender activist and writer Janet Mock joins HuffPost Live and discusses how she dealt with her dad's gender policing.
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[@kevinrandall7685]

she is so fortunate to still have her fathers support.im a transexual and both my parents turned their backs on me.but im still going ahead with my transistion into a full woman,then im going to change my name.i no longer want to carry his last name or the name my mother gave me.im moving on With MY LIFE!!!!!!!! Hello Kim Chanel❤❤❤❤

[@daneelolivaw5951]

What fascinates me about her story is how much it resonates with things I've thought in my mind, even though I identify as a cis het male. I'm talking about a broader picture than gender, just feeling the difference between who you are on the inside and how people see you. I am so in awe of how this remarkable woman was able to navigate this minefield. Straight up, she had it much more difficult than I ever did, but it rings so true.

[@giselleashley3011]

Bye

[@bsmack66]

I don't know what is wrong with parents. Why can't they just let a child be who they are. This is what drives a lot of kids to suicide or drugs, by being hassled all the time, "Stop being a sissy, go play sports with boys". And don't forget about your classmates. They can be just as brutal too, almost to the point where they would like to kill you.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

+bsmack66 Yes! I feel so sorry when I hear stories of children who have experienced this terrible situation.

[@bsmack66]

+TheRetroWoman80 Parents are always thinking of what other people think of their sons being like that. No father wants to hear his friends saying so and so's son is a sissy. But when both parents do it, where is a child to turn for support. People act like its a choice to be like this. Sometimes the way a child is treated makes them like that. The child is going through enough hell as it is. That is why a lot of trans kids attempt suicide.

[@Blueflamelotus17]

No if you look at the suicidal rates of people who do this is pretty high. Everyone run away from this sexual habit it kills and its dangerous!! Even after these transplants they still dont feel like a true women. God created him to be a man not a woman if he did he would have gave him a vagina.

[@amarosea]

Janet Mock is a brilliant and amazing Black woman! Protect ALL Black girls and women at all costs!

[@amarosea]

Any and all transphobic and mis-gendering comments will be immediately deleted and blockedt. Stay pressed.

[@RodRod82]

Not a girl or woman.

[@veynai898]

Rodney Rose Explain?

[@hollabooiers]

Such a great interview, I'm blown away. It gives me so much hope for a future to see these things discussed in mainstream media, even if I'm a white cis female myself. Thank you Janet and thank you Huffington Post.

[@mariahscurry19]

The way she describes her relationship with her parents and how they treated her and how they treat her after transition is literally the exact same way it happened with me. I'm so grateful to have parents that really care and accepted me . But it was tough with my dad before transition .

[@goldwellnesscenter]

The power of her assertion and "calling out" of the injustices of the trans experience can tend toward a "victim" mentality when not held in check. I believe Janet does more than a fantastic job of treading this balance. That being said- JANET ROCKS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND BUILDING AWARENESS! Thanks for paving a path for me in my transition.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

+Gr8possibilties I hope that your transition is all that you want it to be. Don't let the ugliness of this world kill the fire or the truth in you.

[@elena7659]

Janet Mock...you beautiful beautiful soul :-)

[@KelseyJoMusic]

Such a seriously great watch, what an intelligent and lovely woman. I support LGBT 4eva!

[@velabela7634]

Janet you go Girl!! 🙆💪❤

[@JJ-fq9zr]

That's a man

[@velabela7634]

+JJ 36723 Trans woman. Men don't identify as Women.

[@Logan800]

u go man is more like it

[@zekcool5468]

@@JJ-fq9zrshe’s a transgender woman

[@meaganhua5899]

It sucks that she had to deal with all that gender policing.

[@dominiquevas9798]

I know, it's terrible. You should read her book, she talks about it very openly, she's really had quite a journey. What a beautiful, inspiring woman.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

+Dominique Vas Yes, this book was a mind opener....especially if you're mind wasn't already open.

[@dominiquevas9798]

She is so so beautiful!

[@adriannathompson4552]

I know this is serious topic and I do appreciate that. But I'm going to make shallow comment, she is beautiful and I love, love her hair

[@DontCallItAComeback8]

+Kerry Pal, plenty of people are interested. If you aren't, please go find a video you are interested in and watch it instead.

[@The8thKira]

does anyone know where that dress is from?

[@michellemarie2590]

Janet is fortunate she’s attractive, it allows her a platform in our beauty conscious America. Her dad truly loved her. Dad suffered, she’s blessed he sacrificed to love his child. Beauty has its advantages sad to say but it’s true. I pray for our culture’s obsession with gender orientation and sexuality. Hopefully the pendulum will shift to a focus on feeding hungry children and those single parent families absent a father. There is where support matters because our children are our future and they need to know there is hope and they are loved. Janet’s parents did a good job parenting but other than the personal decision to become trans gender and tell her story how is she helping enrich the community? Sincere question.

[@weyde1]

I believe we are biologically programmed to worry about gender issues because, as a species, at least for now, in order to perpetuate ourselves, it is absolutely necessary to have biological females and males to reproduce. If there is a drastic swing in transgenderism, where-in so-called trans women outnumber biological women, at some point there would not be a sufficient pool size of biological male and females to reproduce at a rate necessary to sustain the human species.

[@aoloriginals]

Great interview! Check out Laura Jane Grace's trans journey on 'True Trans' here: goo.gl/2rGvnJ

[@zekcool5468]

❤️❤️❤️

[@JesusandTiffany67]

You are blessed with your family mine all deserted me, I have 3 grandchildren 4 miles away I can't see. As I read your book I saw parents struggling and trying to do the right thing. Coming out makes you stronger by the dirt thrown at us. Christians seem to forget that Jesus said what you do to the least of these you did to Me, what is Jesus going to say to them when they stand before Him.

[@Prlvrboi1]

At this point those who don't understand don't want to understand. Little do they know they are not absolved from their own ignorance. Gender is a social construct: A set of rules that is made up by society. How can you tell anyone who they are? People can self identify. Funny how those who claimed to have been oppressed are the ones now who want to be the oppressor. Janet is wonderful in every way.

[@weyde1]

And who are those who "claimed to have been oppressed ? Would they happen to be the indigenous peoples of the Americas who were enslaved and upon whom genocide was perpetrated, some of whom intermarried and interbred with the white Europeans and now have lighter skin and straighter hair and identify themselves as being "white", Carlos Garcia????? Exactly to whom are you referring?

[@jeromea.2467]

Definitely. People self medicate everyday. But no one talks about that!

[@Adaughtersheart-Isa53]

Ahhh man...spoiler alert. I now know about her Dad's response...so won't be surprised when I read the book : )

[@kleversonjdsr7986]

She didnt have girlhood. She had boyhood

[@charlylocke]

Am i the only person who wants them to hook up?

[@minkagaston]

Xaldin Os she's married

[@weyde1]

Yes.

[@dglorious1269]

Wow. Could fool so many people! But is he an actor? The face kinda looks familiar.

[@joshlmccall6294]

My god that is one beautiful Trans woman. I cant help but gaze at her! Lol.. I'm not into woman at all but she's very beautiful. And i think if your wanting or going to be a woman be a pretty one.😉

[@andreschavez9882]

these comments are so crazy about trans women and all of you false opinions and represantations of them your opinions honestly dont matter and you dont validate someone's transtition if it does not in any way effect you move on there are bigger issues in the world

[@patforsman3213]

Thought this video was extremely informative and kind hearted, but the comments section is pure evil and toxic to read. Makes me sad that this is the world we live in.

[@ladycmitchell1396]

Lol..My stupid mother little boys don't do this and that..She would police me..

[@DeShard64]

A FATHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE. NO GRAND BABIES FROM HIS BLOODLINE.

[@sandrallewellyn2632]

HAASPT2 first of all boo hoo. Second of all did you miss the part where she said her brother just had a baby??

[@ummmummm563]

2 minutes of that voice is enuff .

[@Thesadsadgame]

+ummm ummm Oh please.

[@iloveamerica007]

im confused here, does cisgender refer to straight people?

[@DorianPaige00]

No, cis-gender refers to people who are born the same gender that they live as. It is the direct opposite of transgender. If you are not transgender, you are cisgender.

[@iloveamerica007]

Autumn Aarilyn so if I was born biologically and in the gender sense of "male" then I would be cis-gender?

[@DorianPaige00]

Jonathan Thomas Yup, you got it!

[@iloveamerica007]

Autumn Aarilyn lol then why not just say straight?

[@iloveamerica007]

Autumn Aarilyn or is that insulting?

[@vanessaloy1049]

Why could "he" not simply be a feminine-acting male?

[@amandaweidmann8359]

because this is who She is

[@Logan800]

he is

[@weyde1]

You make a great point Vanessa. Are we, the so-called cisgender to assume that every feminine-acting male is a trans gendered female, or vice-versa?

[@lunamoon4603]

She has gender dysphoria, she always identify with being a girl and wouldn’t feel comfortable in male body. I don’t know why you imply that she could just be feminine men. Do you think she transition only because she’s feminine because this clearly isn’t the case.

[@Hjclost4154]

​​@@weyde1 yea good term "so-called " she can define herself but she had no right to define others. This is the problem I have with this. Be you, define you but don't define other women That's the hypocrisy of this. It's not her right to define other women as Cis.