Page 18 - BEQ Magazine Iss 19

Growing

advocacy

MY C ONVERSA TION WITH

K AREN KENDR A HOLMES

By RYANN BROOKS

Toy cars, train sets, roughhousing. support for our child at the beginning.
That’s how I imagined it would be raising boys, In February, I found myself thrust into full-
and, for about 12 years, that’s kind of how it was. blown advocacy work for the LGBTQ community
I had two children six years apart. My house was a where I live in Kansas. I went to the statehouse to
disaster of Hot Wheels, testify against harmful
Thomas the Tank anti-trans legislation.
Engine and Paw Patrol. I’ve written op-eds.
Then, in July 2020, I’ve made phone calls.
on or around their I even got protested by
birthday (we disagree an infamous hate group
on the exact date, here in Kansas.
though I insist it was But as a cis woman,
the birthday) my oldest I knew I had much to
RYANN child, my first baby, learn in order to be the
BROOKS with
her daughter, after years of suffering best advocate for my
ASHLEY. anxiety and depression child and others in the
| COURTESY PHOTO said a few words to me trans community.
in the car that reshaped That’s how I met
everything I thought I Karen Kendra Holmes,
knew about our future. a trans woman and
“Mama, I’m a girl.” COURTESY PHOTO fierce advocate for
In the weeks that the trans community.
followed, we would begin using new pronouns. She Karen began her transition just about 11 years ago on
chose a new name. My husband and I tried (and October 1, 2010, after struggling with her identity for
failed) multiple times to be the best advocates and more than 40 years. Her “second birth” as she puts it

18 SUMMER 2021 BUSINESSEQUALITYMAGAZINE.COM