In the lead up to Spirit Day, we're highlighting stories of people who have used Facebook and Instagram to come out, find support and inspire change around LGBT equality.
Mary Jacklyn Moss has a 16-year-old trans son named Chris. From as early as when Chris was 8, Mary remembers Chris saying he felt trapped in his own body. At the age of 12, Chris came out to Mary and began his transition.
At first, Mary was scared and wanted to protect Chris from bullying he might face after coming out, and she also had a hard time finding resources or a place to connect with other parents of trans children. Mary eventually found a Facebook page for parents with transgender children, which had 22 members at the time. She became so active in the group that the original page administrator suggested she take over. Under Mary's care, the page has grown to over 1,075 members. It's Mary's mission to make other parents feel supported and to create a place where they can have their questions answered.
One of Mary's favorite stories is about a woman in the UK who joined and felt depressed. Mary took action and asked if other members in that country could help the woman out. A woman who lived five minutes from other woman reached out and they remain close friends to this day.
Mary credits the group for creating a positive space for parents of trans children to grow and share. Now that Chris is 16, she says she's found it much easier to heal be strong if you surround yourself with encouraging people, which she has been able to do using Facebook. If you'd like to reach out to Mary, she can be reached at transparentmary@gmail.com.
Facebook will join GLAAD and millions of others who will go purple on October 16th to take a stand against bullying for Spirit Day. Go purple now at http://glaad.org/spiritday