She / Her / DAD | Tessa White on Trans Fatherhood

Modern Dadhood | Unpacking Fatherhood + Parenting for Dads (and Moms!)

What does it mean to be a dad? Does it require a certain degree of commitment to loving, protecting, and raising your offspring to bestow the title of dad? Or at its most basic, are you a dad if you've used your penis to procreate with a woman? In episode 64, Tessa White, a transgender woman and parent of 5, joins the Modern Dadhood conversation to declare proudly that you don't even have to be a MAN to be a DAD. Have a different opinion? Go pound sand.

Episode 64 of Modern Dadhood opens with an ASMR exercise from Marc, as he takes immense pleasure in destroying a half-deflated foil birthday balloon. Your brain will tickle as the knife enters the now pathetic remnant of a bygone celebration and the weak mostly-just-air-helium from Dollar General encounters the otherwise clean air of Marc's home studio. The guys move on to a discussion about guest conversations which take them out of their comfort zones (in a good way!) before they introduce Tessa White, the episode's guest. Tessa owns an HVAC company in Oklahoma City, is a transgender woman and proud LGBTQ+ advocate and activist, and is a parent to 5 children (including two sets of twins) who call her DAD. The powerful conversation touches on topics including:

• The meaning of the phrase "She/Her/DAD" found on a pin by Dads Hug Too
• Navigating the world as a trans woman and a parent
• The debate over transgender athletes
• Trans discrimination, and the effects on Tessa's kids
• Giving kids some space and distance to accept who their father is
• Pronouns, including nonbinary pronouns

Links:
Dads Hug Too
PFlag Oklahoma City
OKC Pride
Diversity Center of Oklahoma
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal

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