Wednesday 11 May 2016

How I Met My Son

A parent's love for a child should forever be unconditional, and that's exactly what Yolanda Bogert has displayed to her son Kai his entire life.Her new book How I Met My Son: A Story of Love that Transcends Gender looks at the moment when Bogert made worldwide news, when in December 2014, placed a birth notice in the Courier Mail.

It read: ‘A Retraction: In 1995 we announced the arrival of our sprogget, Elizabeth Anne, as a daughter. He informs us that we were mistaken. Oops! Our bad. We would now like to present, our wonderful son – Kai Bogert. Loving you is the easiest thing in the world. Tidy your room.’

How I Met My Son looks at that moment of accepting her transgender son and the impact the story had on their lives, ‘the sky didn’t fall, and our family didn’t fall apart. We just started using different pronouns. Oh, I had to change the name stored in my phone with his number. That was a bit of a pain,’ Bogert says.

Despite the positive awareness of transgender issues it raised, it is something that Bogert now regrets doing. One quick Google search of ‘Kai Bogert’ will quickly alert any potential employer of Kai’s transition, which means Kai will never ‘pass’ as being born male.

The launch of her first book coincides with International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and to celebrate, Bogert and her son Kai, will lead a panel discussion with a focus on parenting trans kids at Hares and Hyenas. The event will include parents and transgender people including head of Transgender Victoria, and winner of 2015's GLBTI Person of the Year award Sally Goldner and writer Fury.


Approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identify as transgender - See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpuf
Approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identify as transgender - See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpuf
With approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identifying as transgender, this two hour event promises to be an evening of thoughtful discussion and conversation on the social issues facing transgender people and ensuring the best future for transgender children. 

Venue: Hares & Hyenas, 63 Johnston St, Fitzroy
Date/Time: Tuesday 17 May | 7-9pm
Tickets: $5 Full

Bookings: Hares & Hyenas
Approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identify as transgender - See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpu
Event Category:
Upcoming Events

Date(s):
17 May 2016

Time:
7:00 PM

Duration:
2 Hours 0 Minutes

Price:
$5.00 - Full
$ - Conc

- See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpuf
To celebrate IDAHOBIT Day,  Kai and Yolanda Bogert will lead a panel discussion with a focus on parenting trans kids.  The event will include parents and trans people including Sally Goldner (MC), Kai Bogert, Yolanda Bogert, Fury and Rebekah. (more tbc)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
HOW I MET MY SON: A STORY OF LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS GENDER
BY YOLANDA BOGERT
‘The sky didn’t fall, and our family didn’t fall apart. We just started using di erent pronouns. Oh, I had to change the name stored in my phone with his number. That was a bit of a pain.’
– Yolanda Bogert
Yolanda Bogert, a mum from regional Queensland, made worldwide news when she placed a notice in the Courier Mail in December 2014. It read: ‘A Retraction: In 1995 we announced the arrival of our sprogget, Elizabeth Anne, as a daughter. He informs us that we were mistaken. Oops! Our bad. We would now like to present, our wonderful son – Kai Bogert. Loving you is the easiest thing in the world. Tidy your room.’
How I Met My Son is the incredible back story behind the headline that went viral.
For Yolanda, discovering she was pregnant at fteen was a life-saving moment. She diverged from the destructive path of drugs, abuse and homelessness that years in the foster care system had paved for her and threw herself into loving and caring for her new baby.
She instantly formed a close-knit bond with her child, and together they escaped poverty with their wild imaginations: dingy rentals gave way to a world of wonder built out of pillow fortresses.
But 17 years later Yolanda looked into the eyes of her child and saw the same depths of depression and suicidal ideations that she had conquered with the love of motherhood. Desperate to help, Yolanda realised she could ease her child’s pain by a simple act of unconditional love: accepting her daughter as a son named Kai.
Wanting to publicly celebrate her son’s news, Yolanda bought a
$50 spot in the Courier Mail birth notices and asked Kai to make
sure he bought a copy of the paper the next day. The response was overwhelming, with interview requests from the New York Times and the BBC, and TV presenters camped out on her front lawn. Despite the positive awareness of transgender issues it raised, Yolanda now regrets the notice. One quick Google search of ‘Kai Bogert’ will quickly alert any potential employer of Kai’s transition – Kai will never ‘pass’ as being born male.

In How I Met My Son Yolanda delivers her powerful perspective on a myriad of social issues in the frank and funny spirit that propelled her
Transgender Facts
  • Approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identify as transgender*
  • 99.5 per cent of people who identify as transgender in adolescence continue to do so throughout their adult life^
  • The regret rate after surgery is less than half a per cent, includ- ing regret around hormone treatment, surgical treatment and poor surgical outcomes*
  • Up to 50% of trans people have attempted suicide at least once in their lives#
- See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpuf
To celebrate IDAHOBIT Day,  Kai and Yolanda Bogert will lead a panel discussion with a focus on parenting trans kids.  The event will include parents and trans people including Sally Goldner (MC), Kai Bogert, Yolanda Bogert, Fury and Rebekah. (more tbc)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
HOW I MET MY SON: A STORY OF LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS GENDER
BY YOLANDA BOGERT
‘The sky didn’t fall, and our family didn’t fall apart. We just started using di erent pronouns. Oh, I had to change the name stored in my phone with his number. That was a bit of a pain.’
– Yolanda Bogert
Yolanda Bogert, a mum from regional Queensland, made worldwide news when she placed a notice in the Courier Mail in December 2014. It read: ‘A Retraction: In 1995 we announced the arrival of our sprogget, Elizabeth Anne, as a daughter. He informs us that we were mistaken. Oops! Our bad. We would now like to present, our wonderful son – Kai Bogert. Loving you is the easiest thing in the world. Tidy your room.’
How I Met My Son is the incredible back story behind the headline that went viral.
For Yolanda, discovering she was pregnant at fteen was a life-saving moment. She diverged from the destructive path of drugs, abuse and homelessness that years in the foster care system had paved for her and threw herself into loving and caring for her new baby.
She instantly formed a close-knit bond with her child, and together they escaped poverty with their wild imaginations: dingy rentals gave way to a world of wonder built out of pillow fortresses.
But 17 years later Yolanda looked into the eyes of her child and saw the same depths of depression and suicidal ideations that she had conquered with the love of motherhood. Desperate to help, Yolanda realised she could ease her child’s pain by a simple act of unconditional love: accepting her daughter as a son named Kai.
Wanting to publicly celebrate her son’s news, Yolanda bought a
$50 spot in the Courier Mail birth notices and asked Kai to make
sure he bought a copy of the paper the next day. The response was overwhelming, with interview requests from the New York Times and the BBC, and TV presenters camped out on her front lawn. Despite the positive awareness of transgender issues it raised, Yolanda now regrets the notice. One quick Google search of ‘Kai Bogert’ will quickly alert any potential employer of Kai’s transition – Kai will never ‘pass’ as being born male.

In How I Met My Son Yolanda delivers her powerful perspective on a myriad of social issues in the frank and funny spirit that propelled her
Transgender Facts
  • Approximately 18,000 Australian students currently identify as transgender*
  • 99.5 per cent of people who identify as transgender in adolescence continue to do so throughout their adult life^
  • The regret rate after surgery is less than half a per cent, includ- ing regret around hormone treatment, surgical treatment and poor surgical outcomes*
  • Up to 50% of trans people have attempted suicide at least once in their lives#
- See more at: http://wordisout.com.au/event/met-son-reading-panel-discussion#sthash.y955FX6n.dpuf

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