WATCH: THIS PROUD DAD IS STANDING UP FOR HIS TRANSGENDER SON

Joe Gharty is a dad from Brooklyn, New York, whose son Penel is transgender.

Speaking to the Human Rights Campaign, the teacher and entrepreneur shared about the journey he and his wife took to come into understanding that their child doesn’t identity with the female gender that he was assumed at birth.

Joe said that he noticed that Penel started expressing his true gender identity from a very early age.

The boy would want his hair to be cut short, refuse to wear dresses, and also prefer masculine pronouns.

One day, Joe heard directly from Penel, ‘I’d like for you to call me a boy.’

The dad described that it’s not difficult for him to choose to accept his son.

‘At that point it wasn’t really a hard decision because, to me, what difference does it make if I want to call you a boy or a girl?’ Joe said. ‘I want you to feel that I’m confident in you and that I love you.’

However, the dad is worried what the future might bring for his son.

‘It’s difficult to protect our kids from those who want to hurt them,’ he said. ‘But I do want to instill the confidence in Penel where he can stand up for himself and express it as well.’

He added: ‘The one thing I want Penel to always know is that I am always here and his family’s always here. And no matter what happens, no matter how hard things get, I’m always here and he’s always great. That’s happiness to me.’

Watch the incredibly moving interview here:

SOURCE: GAY STAR NEWS