Danann: 'I Am Who I Want to Be'
Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:45AM
From age two, Danann, who was born boy, insisted she was a girl.
Danann’s parents looked for help, asking a pediatrician, “Is this normal?” And they received a common response, “Oh, it's just a phase.”
After going to many different doctors and therapists, it was a relief to finally get a diagnosis, that she is transgender.
It wasn’t until Danann was 6 and was making threats to end her life, that her parents helped her make the transition to living as a girl. Once we made the transition, says Danann’s mom, Sarah, “It was like night and day… a totally different child.”
Now at age 8, Danann tells Anderson in this exclusive web clip how happy she is to finally be her true self...
Filed Under: As Seen On The Show
Comments
It is so sad some of the negative comments made here. How is it possible to look down on or be so critical of someone trying to be happy. If we as humans could simply do what makes us happy and not constantly worry about others then the world would be not such a bad place to be. If not for homophobes, bigots and religous zealots we would have peace and harmony and people full of love, compssion and understanding sort of GOD like. His job not yours to judge!!!!!!!
Read this a couple months ago. We have been too busy for me to comment. We have been too busy helping our daughter transition to the male he has wanted to be since preschool. He is now 17 years old and 90% happier, social and everything good.
Thank you to Danann and other children for being strong and telling their paretns what needs to be done. And, for those parents struggling with this, it is okay. Nothing is wrong with you or your child. My husband and I struggled with what did we do wrong. It is different and uneasy, and yet if you just follow your child's feelings, you will have a happy child. Life will be a bit of a challenge, but it will be easier for them than struggling with who they are not.
Take care and keep progressing to a world that does not have to be boxed in by society's norms and expectations.
I saw parts of this show while getting an oil change for my car. Thank you for the doing the story. I started my transition almost a year ago at the age of 63. I am FTM(Female to Male). There isn't a lot of information about older Trans Men. Some people may ask "why transition now-so late in life?". "IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHO YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN." (George Eliot-English Novelist)
Danann is amazing kid as I listen to her talking to Anderson ,I totally feel her feeling ..So proud of her and her parents as well for allowed her to shared her feeling ..
This is repulsive. Six years old and 'it' was making threats to end its life, because it wanted to be another gender? Spoiled little thing is several years old and has already started taking its life for granted. Quite possibly one of the most spoiled children of our generation.
We all wanted to be something we weren't, at that age. Call it being reincarnated into a different gender, a genetic defect, or a mental illness... It shouldn't be this way.
Danann is a beautiful and sweet young lady - we have had the pleasure of meeting her. She comes over every so often to play w our kids when she is in the neighborhood.
I want to commend her parents for sharing her story - and their journey - so others can learn from it. Knowing her has given all of us in our family the opportunity to discuss the transition, and to remember that God makes us all very unique and special. My kids are very comfortable with the fact that while she was born in a boys body she has always been a girl in her heart.
While it couldn't have been easy - the gift that she has brought to our family is that He never, ever makes a mistake. This is a great love story--one that teaches the importance of being oneself, of compassion, acceptance, empathy and spiritual growth. Again thanks for sharing and helping others who may be navigating a similar journey.