For the first time, he saw an openly transgender person in their small town. Happy and proud, he turned to TikTok to share that experience and remind his son how a good person should act.
When the Third Kind Sees One
James Eric Barlow is a father who shared his and his son’s first encounter with a transwoman on TikTok.
He started the video by saying, “We all know that there are people who are disgusted whenever they see a transgender person. And we all know of people who don’t care if they see a transgender person. But apparently, we’re a third type of person.”
Being Courteous
James and his son, Mikey, went to Landmark Truck Stop in Clyde, Texas, and a woman walked in behind them. So, he opened the door for her, just as he would for anybody, without thinking twice about who she was.
Rare, Courageous Moment
Then, he suddenly noticed that she was a transwoman. It made him so happy that even talking about it in his video made him emotional.
He said, “To be able to see somebody be out and open to the world here in the small town of Texas—you just got to know how much bravery that takes. Right, Mikey?”
Agreeable Son
When he asked his son, he glanced at the back of the car, where the kid was seated, who happily replied with a “Hell, yeah!”
A Heartfelt Message
James wanted to say something to the transwoman. However, he realized he would probably look “weird,” smiling at a stranger.
So, he left a message for her on the video instead, saying, “But if you’re a transwoman and you came here to the Landmark Truck Stop in Clyde, Texas, just know we’re proud of you.”
Checking In on the Kid
Again, James asked his son, “Right, Mikey?” To which he eagerly agreed again with a “Yep!”
A Conventional Town
In one comment, James mentioned that in their town, which consists of 3,000 people, he doesn’t commonly see transgender people. Even small things would cause an uproar, like when a boy went to school with nail polish on his fingernails.
James described that instance as “crazy.”
Reaching Thousands of Hearts
In another post, James talked about the recognition he and his son received because of his statement the first time. His video was even featured on multiple platforms!
He appreciates all the love, kind words, and support people gave him in articles featuring him. Although it’s great, he wished he had views like that in his original video.
The Bare Minimum
However, at the same time, James said it’s sad he’s getting a lot of reactions and responses for just him and his son saying they are proud of transgender people.
He added, “Like, I literally didn’t do anything big. I just said, ‘I’m proud of you.’ And that just got a big response from both sides. To me, that just took minimal effort to be a basic, good human being.”
A Good Ally
Even then, he repeated that he is proud of everyone and that he takes pride in that people are comfortable sharing their experiences with him.
James said, “I’m glad that people can be themselves around me. Thank you, everybody, for your kind words. And you know, f*** the bigots.”
People’s Thoughts and Reactions
Transgender people are everywhere; most times, they’re just unrecognizable. So, for the online community, it’s nice to see people like James and his son supporting them.
A TikToker wrote, “Thank you. You’re beautiful people. And you walk past transgender people every day without knowing. But the fact that you took the time to offer love.”
Another one added, “The thing is, transgender people aren’t recognizable a lot of times. I know because my primary doctor treats mostly transgender patients, and I can’t tell who’s who. Some are noticeable, and they definitely need the most support, so I applaud your acceptance.”
Better Far Than Near
Others noted that it was wise not to speak to the woman James saw, as it could have led to something unexpected.
A commenter wrote, “Thank you for not saying anything to her. It could’ve been dangerous. This is the kind of support I wish we could get everywhere.”
Parents’ Responses
Some parents of transgender children commented on James’ video and shared their thoughts and opinions.
Someone shared, “My son is transgender, and we live in a small town. I wish I had his bravery when I was 16. He has been bullied out of his school by teachers and students.”
Another person said, “As the mom of two transgender kids, you brought tears to my eyes. So sweet.”
Good Parenting
All in all, for users, James is doing well in raising his kid, and it’s nice to see that at a young age, he’s teaching his son humane things that other people should do.
“Oh my God, I love this. Thank you for raising your kid with an open, accepting mind,” a TikToker wrote.
Another person commented, “Your child looks so much like you. You two have beautiful eyes and clearly beautiful souls.”
Is it common for you to see transgender people? Did you have the same reaction James had?
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This post first appeared as A Man Taught His Son a Life-Changing Lesson After They Encountered a Transgender Woman in Small-Town Texas. Too Emotional to Say More, He Said, “Just Know We’re Proud of You!” on Quote Ambition.
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