[WATCH] Proud parents of trans author, 8, urge others to ‘let your child take the lead’

Transgender child author hailed as anti-prejudice role model

The parents of eight-year-old transgender author Willa Naylor have urged other parents “to let their children take the lead” on their own gender identity.

“Listen to your children, and be their friend. Don’t act on your own fears and your own uncomfortable feelings, but rather listen to your children and be their friend,” Bex Taylor told the press. “Their happiness is the most important thing. Many parents of transgender children encourage others to simply let the child take the lead and that’s really what you should so.”

Born a boy, Willa Naylor has said that she first started identifying as a girl when she was two years old and that she first told her mother she was a girl at age five.

One of the first beneficiaries of the gender identity law that came into play last year, she is now campaigning against the pathologisation of gender diversity in childhood, and has penned a book - illustrated by her mother - about her experience transitioning into a girl. 

“I would like my book to help a lot of kids around the world, and I hope many people buy it,” she told the press after presenting copies of ‘Truly Willa’ to ministers Helena Dalli and Evarist Bartolo. “My message to other transgender children is to brave, even when it feels hard, because there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“My experience since transitioning has been very good; a lot of people have accepted me and I am very happy that it has gone really well.”

Her parents are confident that they made the right choice, notwithstanding their child’s young age.

“Her happiness proves that we made the right choice,” Bex Naylor said. “If she feels differently in the future, then that’s no problem; we’ll support her as we have always done. In not supporting her, we’d have risked her happiness to a level that I don’t even want to think about.”  

Similarly, James Naylor praised his daughter for giving a voice to children and adults in similar situations who havent been able to express themselves.

“We’ve got a lot of feedback from people who said that Willa managed to express what they’ve always felt,” he said. “That’s empowering, and it’s not something we can switch off now. Willa wants to continue advocating.”

Civil liberties minister Helena Dalli and education minister Evarist Bartolo heaped praise on the young girl as a role model for children and adults alike.

"We don't choose how we are born and hopefully Willa's book will empower other children who are in similar situations and break down the walls of prejudice," Dalli said.

Bartolo urged other children to similarly express themselves, as Willa has done.

"We speak a lot about our education system being one that is child-focused, but that is often just a slogan and children hardly have a direct voice in the system," he said.