Jeff and Hillary Whittington are remarkable parents and through an amazing video, they tell the story of the transgender son – Ryland.
Now seven, Ryland parents have documented his story with love, understanding and honesty. Jeff and Hillary discuss how they brought Ryland into the world, learned their child needed hearing implants at the age of one, then discovered Ryland had more to share.
They spent a few years saying Ryland was just going through a phase, but soon realised it wasn’t. “When the family dies, I will cut my hair so I can be a boy” Ryland told them. “Why did God make me this way?,” he asked. When the Whittingtons learned 41% of transgender people have attempted suicide, they decided to embrace Ryland as a boy rather than risk losing him.
The Whittingtons made this beautiful and inspiring film for the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast. They posted it to YouTube on Tuesday – it has now gone viral, seen by more than 1 million people.
