My family doesn't accept me

[Guest]

I'm nonbinary and my family only thinks the are 2 genders and they constantly try and force me to believe I'm a girl because "that's what I was born as". Whenever I bring this up they always try and fight me and punish me in different ways. I can't seem to do anything, I feel powerless and I can't stand it anymore. I do have a cousin that supports me but they're currently in quarantine and I won't be able to see them for a long time. Nobody else supports me, I would really like to know what to do. If you can help me, it would be the best thing. I really don't want to live here and I've made up my mind, I have to go somewhere but I'm not sure where.



Thanks again,
Sam

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting National Runaway Safeline. It takes courage to reach out to talk about the struggles that you are going through at home. It is difficult to live in a situation where you are not accepted for who you are. You deserve to be treated with respect. We are here to listen and support you. We want to help you consider your options so that you can choose one that is the best fit for you. You are strong for preserving through what you have been experiencing.

If you are interested in reaching out to speak with others about your experience with your family and get additional support, LGBTQ+ hotlines are great. One option is the The Trevor Project. You can also go to their website, www.thetrevorproject.org , to find more resources or participate in peer support chats with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Reaching out to others for support when you are struggling can be very helpful.

Another option you have is to reach out to other people in your life, such as friends or trusted adults that may be able to provide you with support. If you choose to leave home, it is important to consider where you would go and how you would support yourself. You may also want to consider how your parents will react to you leaving. We are not legal experts, but if you choose to run away, your parents could choose to file a runaway report and have you brought back home. We would like to help and continue to provide you support. Feel free to reach out to us 24/7 on our chat lines 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-786-2929 to talk more about your situation and how we can help.

Stay safe,
NRS