Thomas Medina-Castrejon used to be Nyr's older sister but has now become her older brother. Nyr Medina-Castrejon used to be Thomas' younger brother but has now become his younger sister.
According to the report from Philly.com, the 17-year old Thomas and 13-year-old Nyr are both transgender. Thomas does not respond to his girl name while Nyr hates seeing that she has the anatomy of a male.
"I played with other girls, but I knew I wasn't like them. I hated shopping and I didn't like princesses or dolls. I felt isolated," Thomas shared. "I think it's always been there for me but I didn't recognize it until I was watching a video with a transgender character," Nyr revealed.
They treat each other more than siblings -- they are best of friends who comfort and protect each other from a world that is usually unaccepting of the LGBT community. Both of the siblings have experienced depression and thought about commiting suicide, but they were always there for each other to give hope and strength.
While Thomas does not have any problem with his female anatomy, Nyr undergoes hormone therapy to prevent the development of male features. While Thomas wants a male partner in the future, Nyr says that the sex and gender of her future partner is not important.
The siblings' parents, Emma and Cesar, are still adjusting to their children's preferences. Emma says that she knew that something was different with her children and it took her some time to accept it.
The father had an even harder time adjusting. "I'm very traditional and my logic is a fixed idea of what is a man and what is a woman. But regardless of what I feel, this is not about me. It is about my children and the way they choose to live their lives," Cesar explained.
Parenting.com has some tips for parents of transgender children. Loving your child no matter what but being honest with your feelings; trusting your child to explore his or her identity; being prepared for persecutions from others; and communicating with other parents who also have transgender children can all help you become a better parent to your transgender child.
