Hi everyone, welcome to thanks for being here, a short, weekly pod to remind us of the many

essential and beautiful ways we affect one another. Every Sunday I'll read a submission

from a listener of Kelly Corrigan Wonders, could be wedding vows or about mitzvah toast,

a eulogy, or retirement speech. We believe this is probably the loveliest way to tap into

our better selves and remember our highest values. We encourage you to share this podcast

each week with one person you love, maybe someone you miss and need to bring closer,

someone you want to feel your appreciation or admiration or both. This is thanks for being here.

You may have heard the episode of Kelly Corrigan Wonders where I interviewed a kid named Alex

and his mom. We replayed it several weeks ago in a Friday for the Good of the Order.

It was to honor International Transgender Day of Visibility. Today's thanks for being here

features a letter from the mother in that episode, who we didn't identify at the time, but who is

happy to be known now. She is one of my dearest friends over the course of my lifetime. Her name is

Mary Hope. Here is the letter she wrote to explain that her daughter was now her son.

October 2, 2018. Hi everyone, we have some very big changes we want to share and an ask of you.

Many of you who have watched Jenna grow up have noticed her present more and more as a boy over

the years. Since 4th grade, she has worn only boys clothes and haircuts. In recent school performances,

she has played male or inanimate roles. She was a wall in last year's school production of

a mid-Summer Night's Dream. She rarely, if ever, correct strangers who routinely refer to her as

bud, dude, him. She said she likes it. In fact, she's often told us she wants to be a boy.

Being good feminists, we'd say girls can do anything that boys can. We secretly wondered if she'd

outgrow the idea or if this was just a phase. But it turns out it isn't. The turning point

came this August when we were back east on vacation. Jenna was quiet,

...