Often times, when you hear about someone transitioning to another gender, you often don’t hear about their journey being taken with another member of their family. This is exactly what happened when Eric and Corey Maison, now father and daughter (formerly mother and son), realized they are transgender at the same time, according to People.
In many ways, Eric and Corey’s transition was made easier by the fact that they were there for each other in a very emotional time. Eric and Corey, who were included in National Geographic‘s Gender Revolution issue, apparently realized they were transgender while they watched a documentary about a transgender girl. Both of them often thought there was “something wrong” with them, not realizing their anger, shame, and frustration with their bodies often meant something else.
While Corey came out in 2012 after watching the documentary, Eric didn’t come out for another three years, partly as a way to let his daughter wade through the difficult process:
“I wanted to make sure that my child was taken care of. I wanted to do everything to make sure her transition was smooth and everything was in place. As a parent, you want to put your kids first.”
When Corey started started hormone treatments in 2015, Eric finally came out to his husband and therapist, partially as a result of watching “The Danish Girl”:
“It actually came about by accident. [Les and I] were watching the movie The Danish Girl, and the transgender girl named Lili dies at the end, and when she dies I was crying so hard, more than you cry from a movie, and my husband hugs me and says, ‘Are you okay?’ And I said, ‘I’m sorry you’re stuck with a freaking Lili.’ And he took a minute to think and process that and he said, ‘I love you, and no matter what we’ll make this work.””
Despite facing hardships throughout their journey (Corey, for instance, was teased at school, which we wrote about here), coming out has proven to be well worth it, Eric has said: “We’re just happier overall. Holding a secret breaks us up and puts up obstacles. We’re better people and have better relationships with our family members.”
Everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their own bodies, and everyone deserves to be respected for who they are. I’m glad Corey and Eric were able to support each other while transitioning, because that kind of support is life-changing.
