PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — As a single mom raising two 16-year-olds and a grade schooler, Mandy Minor has a busy household.
But she says doing it with unconditional love makes it easier.
"I just hope that I had a healthy child who could grow into the person they were going to be," Minor said. “And I didn't put any expectations around that. I did kind of want them to be left-handed but they're not left-handed. That’s the only thing I wanted.”
What You Need To Know
- Mandy Minor's household includes her son and his live-in boyfriend, as well as a grade schooler
- Guidelines from the state health department advise against gender dysmorphia treatment for children and teenagers outside of counseling
- Minor says unconditional love makes their journey easier
The hand she is getting instead, is in the form of guidelines from the state health department on how to treat her son and his live-in boyfriend as they come to terms with who and what they are.
Florida is advising against gender dysmorphia treatment for children and teenagers outside of counseling.
That recommendation goes against not only federal guidelines, but also recommendations from the American Medical Association, the American Medical Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association.
Her response to the state's recommendations is pretty blunt.
“You don't know me,” she said. “And if you want to call, come talk to me about my parenting choices. I know I'm not perfect, but I'll stand up for every single thing I’ve done.”
Her son's boyfriend, Julian Fuller, says he'll stand up with her for giving him a safe space to be who he is.
Like every teenager, Julian and Cooper Elsa are just beginning the lifelong journey to self discovery, and they believe only they can choose the path that journey will take.
“You don't need to understand it — you just need to respect it," Kuper said. “You might not understand the struggle I go through as a trans person, but that doesn't mean you have to attack me for it.”