“As a parent, even when you struggle to understand and may not see eye-to-eye, your most important role is to offer understanding, respect and unconditional love for your child,” Jason Rafferty, lead author of the policy statement told me. “This builds trust and puts you in a better position to help them through difficult times. Research has shown that if a transgender teen has even just one supportive person in their life they can go to, it greatly reduces their risk of suicide.”