Family Throws a Gender-Affirming Reveal Party for Their Trans Daughter

One of the keys to having a happy child is affirming who they are. A family in Canada is showing what it looks like when you step up for your children.

Nikki and Graham Scott from Ontario, Canada, threw a gender reveal party when their 8-year-old daughter Nikki told them that she was transgender and wanted to live her truth as a girl.

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The Scotts supported their daughter immediately

"With Ella it's like she always knew but we just didn't," mom Nikki told the Daily Mail. "We always knew she was a little different. When she was little, she was always friends with girls and played with Frozen toys."

She shared that Ella's transition journey started when she was 6, saying, "At age 6, she wanted to start wearing girls' clothes like skirts and dresses."

Nikki admitted she thought it could be a phase

Nikki Scott shared that her and her husband, Graham, thought that Ella might be going through a phase after she chose to wear a skirt as part of her cat Halloween costume. But they still chose to honor her desires.

"Neither of us knew what the right thing to do was, so we showed Ella books of trans people because she didn't have the words to say it," Nikki explained.

"Eventually, she did. She said, 'I'm not a boy, I don't feel like this inside.'"

They chose to take Ella's lead

To make sure they were being the most supportive parents they could be, Nikki and Graham met with a child psychologist from Reach Out Centre for Kids. They were able to provide the parents with the resources they needed to best support their child.

"From here, we let Ella take the lead," Nikki said. "In grade one she started using she/her pronouns, eventually growing her hair longer and wearing girls' clothing."

Her family is her 'safe space'

The parents, along with their two younger sons, decided to throw a gender reveal party to share Ella's transition with their extended family. Her extended family showed up and supported her as well.

"Family gave her the most supporting and loving reaction as expected when she came out," Nikki shared. "It's her family, her home, and that means her safe space."

Nikki and Graham have done everything possible to make Ella feel supported.

After a difficult time in first grade with her classmates not fully accepting her transition, Nikki shared that the family made the decision to move to a place where Ella would feel full support.

"Ella's new school was a perfect place for her to explore who herself further and her teachers have been so supportive too," she said. "She has a great group of friends around her as well."