Mother Hosts Gender Reveal for 17-Year-Old Nonbinary Child

A mother in Akron, Ohio, is getting national praise after giving a gender reveal party for her 17-year-old nonbinary son.

Love Gwaltney and her husband, Brandon, started the party as parents generally do for expected babies, with a box that would release balloons revealing the baby's gender, CNN reports. But when they opened the box, the balloons that came out were not pink or blue, but yellow, white, purple, and black, the colors featured on the nonbinary Pride flag. Son Grey Schoolcraft followed the balloons out of the box.

"We wanted to announce that we got it wrong 17 years ago when we told the world we were having a little girl, and named that child McKenzie," Love Gwaltney wrote on Facebook Saturday. "So, we'd like to introduce you to our SON: Grey. He's much like any other 17 year old nerdy boy, stays up way [too] late gaming, hates showering, and eats too much junk food. We will be referring to Grey with he/him pronouns from here on out, but he told us to tell you that he also doesn't mind if you use they/them."

The party also featured a cake decorated in pink, blue, and white, the colors of the trans Pride flag. "I wanted the transgender flag in there because I still feel that going from whatever you are originally to nonbinary is also a transition, and it doesn't just have to be straight female to male," Schoolcraft told CNN.

While the teen had been out to his mother and stepfather for a couple of months, and they were supportive, but he worried about how his extended family would respond. However, they have all been accepting as well, he said.

Love Gwaltney forgot to make her Facebook post private, and because of that it has been shared more than 50,000 times. There have also been more than 14,000 comments on the post, most of them positive.

"Fantastic parents! Fantastic child! Wishing you all the best life has to offer," one comment reads. Another says, "Love the pics. What a fun reveal. Much love, respect and support to you all on this journey. Beautiful family, beautiful hearts."

To the negative commenters, Gwaltney wrote, "While the major majority of comments have been so loving and sweet, the hateful ones (specifically the ones telling our entire family we will be going to hell) have no place on a thread meant to celebrate our son's transition. These bigoted, transphobic trolls are attacking a 17 year old. And shame on you for that. Luckily our children are more woke and less hateful than those leaving negative, hurtful comments."

People have also sent her direct messages about coming out as trans or nonbinary or asking for advice about parenting a trans or nonbinary child, she told CNN. She advises parents, "Have an open mind. ... Don't try to put them in a box. Regardless of what stage your kids are in, always support them."

Schoolcraft shared advice for other trans and nonbinary people. "You get to make life what you want it to be. ... So no matter what happens, even if someone doesn't accept you, that's not your fault, because you're loved and you're going to find people who will love and support you," he told CNN.

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