--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was first trying to explain to my…" description: "\"When I was first trying to explain to my parents that I was really a girl, my father didn't know what to do. He had these preconceived notions about wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/nicole-maines-12524_family_when-i-was-first-trying-to-explain-to-my_380599.jpg" --- # When I was first trying to explain to my parents that I… ![“When I was first trying to explain to my parents that I was really a girl, my father didn't know what to do. He had these preconceived notions about what his family was going to be like, and when I didn't fit into those notions, he just ignored what I was trying to tell them before he really came…” quote by Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/nicole-maines-12524_family_when-i-was-first-trying-to-explain-to-my_380599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/nicole-maines-12524_family_when-i-was-first-trying-to-explain-to-my_380599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/519/nicole-maines-12524_family_when-i-was-first-trying-to-explain-to-my_380599.jpg) > “When I was first trying to explain to my parents that I was really a girl, my father didn't know what to do. He had these preconceived notions about what his family was going to be like, and when I didn't fit into those notions, he just ignored what I was trying to tell them before he really came around.” [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Family acceptance can be delayed by preconceived expectations, but patience and honesty can shift understanding. **In simple terms:** Family may need time to accept. Key Takeaway Communicate openly and patiently. Themes family identity acceptance Mood empathetic hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - parent‑child conversations - support groups - educational workshops Key Concepts gender communication empathy Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to help your parents understand? - How does patience influence personal identity? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated beliefs can be slow and painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Explain Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-parents-2326678/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-didn-420797/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignored/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-really-350136/) [Preconceived notions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceived-notions/) [Trying Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-explain-404754/) ## Related quotes > [I really related to that experience of being what we call the 'bridge generation' and always trying to navigate your more traditional growing-up experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/i-really-related-to-that-experience-of-being-what-we-call-the-bridge/) [Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/) > [I am hoping, though, that many of them have kids, who, when they have a moment to take a break from their iPods, Internet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-am-hoping-though-that-many-of-them-have-kids-who-when-they-have-a/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [I'd always ask my grandma, who was so, so smart, why she didn't work, and she would explain that her parents didn't approve of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-d-always-ask-my-grandma-who-was-so-so-smart-why-she-didn-t-work-and/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [It's hard to explain to my parents what's going on. You can't compare Hollywood with Cuba. I didn't even know I could dream this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/it-s-hard-to-explain-to-my-parents-what-s-going-on-you-can-t-compare/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [“Some things are hard to explain to your parents. Some things are hard to explain, period, but your parents especially are never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/some-things-are-hard-to-explain-to-your-parents-some-things-are-hard/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Growing up, around the dinner table my father and I didn't talk sports. We talked business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/growing-up-around-the-dinner-table-my-father-and-i-didn-t-talk-sports/) [Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/) > [My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-didn-t-tell-me-how-to-live-he-lived-and-let-me-watch-him-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“At first my father didn't like Art, but after he got to know him better he really hated him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/at-first-my-father-didn-t-like-art-but-after-he-got-to-know-him/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [ “What \[my father\] didn’t say, but what was understood, was that he needed me to lie for him from then on, and lie like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-c-johnson/what-my-father-didn-t-say-but-what-was-understood-was-that-he-needed/) [Scott C. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-c-johnson/) > [My father didn't watch football, and it was my grandad who got me in to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loris-karius/my-father-didn-t-watch-football-and-it-was-my-grandad-who-got-me-in/) [Loris Karius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loris-karius/) > [My father didn't believe in my music. I don't blame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-storch/my-father-didn-t-believe-in-my-music-i-don-t-blame-him/) [Scott Storch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-storch/) > [I came to New York in 1986. My father didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't know how I found it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-came-to-new-york-in-1986-my-father-didn-t-think-it-was-a-good-idea/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I was just a machine, training with my father... I didn't have a childhood; obviously, that took its toll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-tomic/i-was-just-a-machine-training-with-my-father-i-didn-t-have-a/) [Bernard Tomic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-tomic/) > [When I got my first check I was thinking my mother and father didn't make this probably in their lifetime. It's real amazing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwyane-wade/when-i-got-my-first-check-i-was-thinking-my-mother-and-father-didn-t/) [Dwyane Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwyane-wade/) > [I can barely recall a single holiday when my father didn't make a scene or create some kind of chaos. We were always walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-can-barely-recall-a-single-holiday-when-my-father-didn-t-make-a/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) ## More by Nicole Maines > [There are infinite combinations that people can experience, because no two people are alike, and no two people's identities should be expected to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/there-are-infinite-combinations-that-people-can-experience-because-no/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [For a number of years at my public elementary school in rural Maine, I was treated like all the other girls in school. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/for-a-number-of-years-at-my-public-elementary-school-in-rural-maine-i/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [I did a guest episode of 'Royal Pains,' and then right after that, 'Supergirl' happened, and I was like, 'How did I get here?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/i-did-a-guest-episode-of-royal-pains-and-then-right-after-that/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [Historically, we have seen cis men play trans women and vice versa. 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What's important is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/it-s-ok-not-to-understand-the-whole-trans-thing-that-s-alright-my-dad/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [Family has been really important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/family-has-been-really-important-to-me/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [Growing up, I was from kind of Nowhere, Maine. And, so, now having thousands of people reaching out to me via social media and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/growing-up-i-was-from-kind-of-nowhere-maine-and-so-now-having/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [Separate but equal does not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/separate-but-equal-does-not-work/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [I knew that I was trans when I was three years old. Well, I didn't know 'trans' because I didn't know there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/i-knew-that-i-was-trans-when-i-was-three-years-old-well-i-didn-t-know/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [My family knew that they loved me, and whatever this 'I want to be a girl' business was, it certainly wasn't about to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/my-family-knew-that-they-loved-me-and-whatever-this-i-want-to-be-a/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [I hope I can help convince people there that being transgender is not a big deal and that we are just average people trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/i-hope-i-can-help-convince-people-there-that-being-transgender-is-not/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [I know from first-hand experience that separating transgender students from their peers can cause many to leave school, hide who they are, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/i-know-from-first-hand-experience-that-separating-transgender/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [Children are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/children-are-a-lot-smarter-than-we-give-them-credit-for/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) > [What I'm really excited for is to see the evolution of trans characters and see more diverse stories be told, so that every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-maines/what-i-m-really-excited-for-is-to-see-the-evolution-of-trans/) [Nicole Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) [Explore all 54 Nicole Maines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-maines/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. 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