In honor of Mother’s Day, a star-studded lineup of Moms have joined HRC in advocating and standing up for their own kids and millions of LGBTQ youth across the country.

Today’s post featured below comes from Jodie Patterson, who was recently named one of “The 20 Most Influential Moms of 2018” by Family Circle magazine and is also a member of the HRC Parents for Transgender Equality Council.

Ten words. That’s all it took for my little Penelope to change my life — and his.

“Mama, I am not a girl,” he told me with tears streaming down his cheeks. “I am a boy.”

As a mom, I’ve always wanted to fix things. But, as I soon realized, there wasn’t anything about Penelope* that needed fixing. He, like every transgender child, was simply announcing to me and to the world how he truly saw himself. He was boldly claiming his identity.

I joined the fight for transgender equality that very day and I’m here, seven years later, to keep that fight going as one of HRC’s Moms for Equality!

Will you join me this Mother’s Day by supporting HRC and the fight for LGBTQ equality? Right now, all gifts of $30 or more get you one of our exclusive “Fight Like A Mother” shirts. Are you in?

I’ve been working with HRC since 2016 as part of its Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. This group of parent-advocates is on a mission to build a fairer and more equal country for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

We’ve certainly made some progress, but we’re not there yet. That’s why I’m turning to you.

I made a promise to Penelope and to all my children: “I’ll make sure the world moves out of your way so that you can be you.” Well, here I am … a mom determined to keep that promise with all the help she can get.

Whether you’re an ally, member of the LGBTQ community or just a believer in equality, I’m asking you to join with me today and snag your “Fight Like A Mother” tee.

Let’s do this for our next generation — and the many to come.

Whether you’re a Mom for Equality, a parent, a friend or part of the LGBTQ community, we hope that you join HRC and snag a limited-edition ”Fight Like a Mother” t-shirt today.