Josephine emergent - what's in a transgender name change?

When I worked in a hostel for ex-offenders, one of our residents was a young man whom his family routinely called 'rat boy'.  Little wonder perhaps that he became a delinquent glue-sniffer and ended up in juvenile detention.  Most of us know how great a lie the infamous saying is:'sticks and stones may break my bones, but cruel words can't hurt me.'   How we are called, and the consequent image we have of ourselves, shapes us greatly.  In contrast, the power of a name, and the process of renaming, can enable amazing flourishing. for individuals and communities.  Such is part of the gift of transgender naming.  It certainly is for me...

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