ABC News is reporting the story about Wyatt and Jonas Maines, two 14-year-olds who are now Nicole and Jonas.
What’s remarkable is that ABC has given space to a Boston Globe story of a teenaged girl with gender dysmorphic disorder, who always felt she was not the boy her body showed her to be. The story also includes responses by her parents about how they and their immediate social groups are adapting to having a son and daughter.
“It is important for people to understand some of the challenges we and other families are dealing with at home, at work and in our communities,” wrote her father, Wayne Maines in an e-mail.
He said he sat the children down to explain the issues that being transgendered can affect how others treat them–including the dangers of abuse and prejudice by others against Nicole.
“I was very angry and sad to have to talk to our small children in this manner,” he said. “We also told them to keep their heads-up, be proud and take care of each other and their friends. I am very proud of them both because they have not forgotten that lesson and they continue to help others whenever it is safe to do so.”
As for the relationship between Jonas and Nicole, ABC reports that the two are best friends.
