Fox News Airs Lengthy Interview With Trans Teen’s Family For Pride Month: ‘I Would Rather Have a Living Son Than a Dead Daughter’

Fox News highlighted the story of Ryland Whittington, a trans California teenager, on Friday as part of a series aired by the network called “America Together: LGBTQ+ Pride Month.”

Fox News correspondent Bryan Llenas reported the story and noted the “courage” it took Ryland to share his story “particularly at a time when trans gender issues have been politicized.”

“If you saw me walking down the street you wouldn’t think anything different,” Ryland said at the beginning of the segment.

“14-year-old Ryland Whittington is a typical southern California teenager. And the Whittingtons along with his mom, dad, and sister are a typical family. The only difference in Ryland’s eyes is what this family can mean to the tens of thousands of kids under 18 who identify as transgender,” Llenas reported, introducing his interview with the family.

“We put our story out there so people could see like that there is another family out there that is going through what we’re going through or there is another family who is proud of who they are,” Ryland said.

“Before Ryland could speak he managed to tell his parents that he is a boy,” added mother Hillary.

“I could see it. It wasn’t him trying to be a brat. It was like painful. It was painful for him to have to wear feminine clothing and for us constantly telling him that you are a girl,” she added.

“When he came out at age 5 a few years later he had the full support of his parents. Initially, there was some pushback trying to understand this,” Llenas noted.

“We were confused like most people are. We thought gender and sexuality were the same thing. It took us a while to figure out those two things are different and children actually do recognize their gender identity very young. Some of them, not all,” Hillary continued.

“They listened to Ryland and Hillary’s conservative faith,” Llenas explained.

“For me, it is just a deep spiritual belief that you believe in God and he created us the way he wanted us and he created Ryland just the way he is,” Hillary said.

“They listened to families. They met in support groups,” Llenas added.

“There was a father sitting across the table saying you have no idea how lucky you are to be here, which kind of took me back. I didn’t consider myself lucky to be there. He said our child had displayed this gender dysphoria or gender misalignment at the same age Ryland has and we didn’t listen and pushed back,” explained Ryland’s father.

“That pushback led that child to turn to self-harm as a teenager which 60% of trans and non-binary kids engage in, according to the Trevor Project. More than 50% consider suicide,” noted Llenas.

“That was the turning point. I didn’t want to see Ryland go through that,” explained Ryland’s father Jeff.

“I would rather have a living son than a dead daughter. I guarantee if we had pushed back and done what a lot of parents do, I don’t think we would have either one of the kids that you see before you here today,” added Hillary.

“Allowing him to live authentically and true to himself and be who he feels like he is. When you get to know Ryland, you see how proud and confident he is of himself,” she continued.

“His story got international attention in 2014 when a family YouTube video went viral and Hillary has since written a book called Raising Ryland,” said Llenas.

“I never thought I would be known for this as well as I am, but really it is just a small part of who I am,” said Ryland.

“The Whittingtons believe sharing their story could make a difference in another child’s life. Something they learned from that support group father nearly a decade ago,” reported Llenas.

“I’m just here to make the ride smoother for others. You might be struggling right now but we believe in you. This family, we might not know you or where you live but, you know, we understand you and we believe in you,” concluded Ryland, offering words of encouragement to other trans teens.

“What extraordinary courage, displayed by Ryland his sister, father Jeff, and mom Hillary. I want to thank the family for speaking to us,” said Llenas.

“It is not easy, particularly at a time when trans gender issues have been politicized. People are afraid of what they don’t understand. This family hopes their story will lead to more understanding, more acceptance, and ultimately more love,” he concluded.

Llenas’ interview with the Whittingtons was the second feature in Fox’s Pride Month coverage. Fox News Media Senior VP Michael Tammero interviewed long-term AIDS survivor Rev. Dr. Steve Pieters, whose 1985 sit down with Tammy Faye Bakker helped to destigmatize the disease, in a segment that ran on Monday.

Watch the full clip above via Fox News