The story of a parent's transition and a son's redemption | Paula Stone Williams and Jonathan Williams

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4.1 • 11.9K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2019

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Paula Stone Williams knew from a young age that she was transgender. But as she became a parent and prominent evangelical pastor, she feared that coming out would mean losing everything. In this moving, deeply personal talk, Paula and her son Jonathan Williams share what Paula's transition meant for their family -- and reflect on their path to redemption. As Jonathan says: "I cannot ask my father to be anything other than her true self."

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This TED Talk features religious leader, counselor, and advocate Paula Stone Williams,
0:06.7	and religious leader and storyteller Jonathan Williams, recorded live at TED Women 2018.
0:15.1	So I was the CEO of a large religious nonprofit, spoke at some of the largest churches in America,
0:24.7	was on television in 70 different markets, but more than anything else, I just wanted to be a good
0:32.7	parent. I told all three of my children, when the going gets tough, you have to choose the road less traveled, the narrow path.
0:42.5	I had no idea how difficult that was going to become.
0:48.0	I knew from the time I was three or four years of age that I was transgender.
0:52.8	I knew if I came out, I would lose everything.
0:56.8	But the call toward authenticity is sacred
1:00.2	and for the greater good.
1:03.0	And it asks you to trust
1:04.6	that the truth not only sets you free,
1:07.5	it will set everyone free.
1:10.7	I decided to stake my life on it. So I came out. Turns out if you
1:16.1	spend most of your life working in the conservative religious worlds, coming out as transgender
1:21.2	is not all that great for your career. Who knew?
1:30.4	Within seven days, I lost every single one of my jobs.
1:36.3	My family was supportive, but struggling.
1:39.5	Most of my friends and coworkers had rejected me.
1:41.9	The rest were confused.
1:47.7	One friend said, you really messed with me.
1:55.7	I said, yeah, well, get in line. I said, you were my only example of an alpha male who was gentle.
	...

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