"...I'm Not Unaccepting, I'm Just Concerned.". The Struggles of Polish Parents of Trans Youths

The dominant notion of gender identity in Poland has been strongly influenced by essentialist concepts of gender roles. Consequently, transgender youths and their parents often experience social stigmatization, with the latter having their parenting skills called into question by people in their surrounding social environment. This has caused self-accusation among many parents, which may have influenced their own attitudes towards their children's gender identity. The following paper details the subsequent outcomes of a qualitative research study conducted in Poland among the parents of transgender youths. The results of this research show the attitudes of trans youths parents towards their children's gender identity; the initial reactions to their children coming out; their personal feelings; the process of reframing and reworking their stances.