Before his transgender daughter faced suspension for using the girls’ bathroom at her Missouri high school, before the torment and suicide attempts, before she dropped out, Dusty Farr admits he was “a full-on bigot.” He proudly avoided anyone LGBTQ+.
Transgender
Now, though, after witnessing his daughter’s struggles, he’s undergone a profound change. He declares he wouldn’t care if she told him she was an alien, as long as she’s alive. His journey, unexpectedly, has led him to challenge bathroom bans, a fight he shares with others like his attorney, Gillian Ruddy Wilcox.
Reflecting, Farr acknowledges he missed signs of his daughter’s gender identity struggle, attributing it to his upbringing in a conservative community. Moving to Kansas City exposed him to diversity, but his closed-mindedness persisted until his daughter’s revelation.
Initially resistant, Farr clashed with his daughter, relying on religious teachings that condemned being transgender. However, introspection and prayer led him to accept her identity, recognizing it as innate.
His transformation wasn’t immediate, but when it happened, it was like a weight lifted. His daughter, initially incredulous, found joy in his newfound support.
The journey wasn’t without obstacles. The school’s bathroom policy, enforced during the pandemic, exacerbated his daughter’s distress. Despite no state law in Missouri mandating bathroom use, the district imposed restrictions. Farr views such policies as misguided attempts at intimidation.
His daughter’s school life deteriorated, marked by suspensions and bullying. Desperate, Farr reached out to the ACLU for help. Despite legal challenges, his daughter’s mental health suffered, prompting the family to relocate and eventually opt for online schooling.
Now, Farr advocates for his daughter and others like her, hoping to prevent similar struggles. He sees his role as her voice, a voice that emerged from his own transformative journey.
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