03. Creating Communities of Support For Gender Expansive Kiddos with Shannon Collins

Camp Wild Heart

It certainly isn’t the case for everyone, but for many parents, raising a transgender kiddo can feel like a pretty isolating experience.

Who do I talk to about it? Where do we find more information? What supports are even available to our family? What does any of it mean?

Finding other families can be very difficult. And there are so many factors that make it difficult. Where you live is usually a big one. There are certain parts of the country that have more resources and support than others. But even in those communities, it can still be hard to find what you need. Another big barrier to finding support is the age of your child.

When kids come out early (like before puberty) it often leaves parents with a “well what do we do with this? We don’t need medical interventions. I’m not even sure my kid needs therapy. I just want them to feel like they aren’t the only one.”

The truth is, most of the resources that exist in the US are resources that focus on teens and adults. Finding social support for younger kids can feel very challenging.

That’s why sometimes, parents end up taking it into their own hands. That’s exactly what our campfire guest, Shannon Collins, did for their kiddo.

Shannon is a white, nonbinary, queer person who uses they/them pronouns. They partnered with their local library to start an online group for young trans and gender expansive kids. And they’ve worked with a number of business owners to donate time and resources to create a breathtaking photography project called Youthphoria, that offers free photography sessions for trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth in the Philadelphia area.

Check out the full episode to hear about:

• Why it was important to Shannon to partner with a library on Rainbow Connections
• Steps they take to make the Rainbow Connections online community welcoming and accessible for a range of kids
• How the pandemic shifted Shannon’s journey of learning to take up space and claim labels
• How Shannon’s experience in the wedding industry influences how they talk about gender at home
• The common overlap of trans and nonbinary identities and neurodivergence

Find out more about Shannon Collins:

• Shannon Collins Photography
• Abington Free Library
• Youthphoria

Find out more about Mackenzie Dunham:

• Wildheartsociety.org
• wildheartsociety.org/downloads
• Wild Heart Society on Facebook
• Wild Heart Society on Instagram

Resources:

• FANTI: No Cis-sies Allowed (ft. Da’Shaun Harrison)
• Loop Earplugs
• Calmer® Earplugs
• Self-Diagnosis-Friendly Resources and Communities, University of Washington
• Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, Devon Price
• From Self-Diagnosis to Self-Realization | by Devon Price | Medium