Transphobia is all around us, and often inside us. 

As parents, we face it in everyday conversations with colleagues, family members, and friends. Our kids face it in school from peers, teachers, and friends.

Over the years, the biggest concern I hear about raising a transgender child isn’t about the medical stuff, it’s fears about the way the world will treat that child. We know it’s not all going to be nice. We know that our kids will face bullies and bigots. 

And I've heard from some of you that you want to fight back. 

So much of the anti-bullying policy and training in our school systems teaches kids to ignore it or walk away and find an adult. And it doesn’t actually teach kids to extinguish bullying behavior or give parents tools to help.

So what do we do?

Today, I brought in an expert in communications with a specific focus on anti-bullying awareness. She’s going to share some tools that are actually effective in helping kids stop bullying and hold on to their own power through a technique of using neutral responses.

We’re going to dig into what that means, why it makes sense and is effective, and how teaching kids to keep their power can spill over positively into other parts of their lives.

Jamie Hamilton is a communications professor who knows that communication is the magic with which all relationships are created and destroyed. Jamie’s passion is to teach people how to communicate in ways that enhance the areas of their life that matter most.



With over twenty years of experience, Jamie has garnered an academic platform of excellence in higher education and is the founder of The Comm Experts, a communications consulting and coaching firm.

Check out the full episode to hear about:

• The difference between one-up, one-down, and neutral responses and how they influence power dynamics with bullies
• Why just ignoring it and walking away doesn’t work
• How responding neutrally and factually builds confidence
• Why role-playing and practicing these responses with your kids is absolutely key
• Why it’s essential that kids have affirming, trustworthy adults in their lives when they’re experiencing bullying
• How parents can use communications tools to respond to difficult comments from other adults
• Why the block button is the most effective tool for online bullying

Find out more about Jamie Hamilton:

• The Comm Experts
• TikTok: @the_communication_expert

Find out more about Mackenzie Dunham:

• Wildheartsociety.org
• wildheartsociety.org/downloads
• Wild Heart Society on Facebook
• Wild Heart Society on Instagram
• TikTok: @realgendertherapist