What a lovely opening to our transgender prompt. Your letter is beautiful and painful at the same time. I will never be able to understand why any adult would wish to force their version of gender conformity on your daughter , how that could remotely be any of their concern or business. Yet, the nation is roiled by waves of hatred inspired by adults who exercise so much much energy and power to force their version of gender on strangers.

I find that phenomenon both outraging and deeply mysterious and impossible to understand. A mother's fierce love is a much-needed antidote this chilly November morning.