Bonus: Raising Kids Beyond the Binary w/ Jamie Bruesehoff

·1 hr·5 clips

Jamie Bruesehoff describes the death threats and child abuse investigation her family faced after her transgender daughter went viral.

This bonus episode of The Whole View features a conversation between host Stacy Toth and guest Jamie Bruesehoff, an advocate, speaker, and author. Jamie is a queer woman married to a Lutheran pastor and mother to three children, including a 17-year-old transgender daughter named Rebecca. The episode begins with Stacy introducing Jamie's background and their online friendship, noting Jamie's advanced degrees in religion. Jamie explains her motivation for writing her book, 'Raising Kids Beyond the Binary,' which aims to help parents reconcile faith with supporting transgender or non-binary children without choosing between them. The discussion delves into conversion therapy, with Jamie citing statistics that it doubles suicide risk for LGBTQ+ youth, and Stacy references support from medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics. Jamie recounts her family's journey into public advocacy after Rebecca went viral at age 10, detailing the scary experiences of hate and death threats alongside the positive impact of spreading hope. Stacy shares her emotional connection as a parent of a trans non-binary child, highlighting the raw realities of suicidality and depression. They explore common misconceptions, such as the idea that being trans is a trend or that surgeries are performed on young children, with Jamie clarifying that gender-affirming care involves multidisciplinary teams and is highly individualized. The conversation touches on gender roles, with Stacy linking non-binary identities to feminist progress and societal shifts. Jamie introduces the concept of 'patterns, not rules' to explain gender expression. They address gender-affirming medical care, including puberty blockers, emphasizing its evidence-based nature and low regret rates. Stacy discusses her child's experience with delayed medical transition due to foster care constraints. Jamie offers practical advice for listeners, such as disrupting misinformation and following LGBTQ+ organizations. The episode concludes with Jamie sharing a heartwarming story from her church and providing resources for further learning.

As heard by us

A steady conversation about identity exploration, family support, and what gender-affirming care can involve.

Raising children beyond the binary is framed here as a matter of patience, trust, and close listening. Jamie Brusehoff connects her family's experience to the room adolescents need as they sort through identity, while the conversation also slows down common assumptions about…

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Why you'd press play

You want a steady guide through trans and non-binary youth care, with the five-year-old surgery myth calmly taken off the table.

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