In this episode, I chatted with Christy Herselman from The Chat. We spoke about the changing gender landscape, and what this means for both our children, and for us parents as we all try to navigate and understand this phenomenon that's unfolding so quickly.

We spoke about the massive rise in transgender and nonbinary teens, and touched on how the world got here.

I think what I loved the most from this conversation is the way Christy helps us parents think about this topic. She doesn’t come in with all the answers, but rather helps us understand this changing landscape, acknowledging the many complexities on this subject. This conversation was another reminder to me as a parent of the fundamental job we have to just love our children, provide them with the safe space that they need, and to have these sorts of conversations with them.

Christy is a speaker, teacher, researcher, author, wife, and mom to 3 kids with a passion to help cultivate deep connections, facilitate healthy dialogue helping raise a generation who are secure in who they are and where they are going.

8 years ago Christy founded a movement called The Chat. The heart of THE CHAT is to empower parents, organizations and communities to confidently dialogue around big topics like sexuality, digital healthy and social media in a natural, open manner that creates safe spaces for ongoing conversations.

She also equips tweens and teens to make healthy, future-focused decisions around their sexuality and identity and does workshops at schools, helping children and teens become healthy, wise digital users.

Resources mentioned during the conversation:

• Upcoming Zoom for parents with Christy on Sex & Gender: Understanding the Conversation. 24th November.
• 5-Part Video Series for schools: The Gender Project: A 5 Part Video Series for schools, to help orientate and prepare South African teens for the Gender Conversation.
• Book: Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier
• Book: Untangled - Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
• Book: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour
• Podcast: Ask Lisa - The Psychology of Parenting. [Podcast]

To connect with Christy from The Chat:

Website: www.thechat.co.za
Email: info@thechat.co.za
Facebook: thechatdurban

Stay in touch with the Future Smart Parent team:

Website: www.futuresmartparent.com
Email: jude@futuresmartparent.com
Facebook: /futuresmartparent
Instagram: @futuresmartparent

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