182. From Estrangement to Advocacy: Lynn Chadwick on Parental Identity After Your Child Transitions

In this episode, I speak with Lynn Chadwick, founder of Themis Resource Fund, about her deeply personal journey from devastating parental estrangement to purposeful advocacy. Lynn opens up about losing contact with all three of her children to trans ideology and how she nearly lost herself in the process. We explore the critical distinction between activism and family relationships—when fighting the broader culture war can actually harm your connection with your own child.

Lynn shares the transformative moment that changed everything: turning off her phone, leaving behind the constant stream of trans-related content, and spending two weeks in Mexico with baby whales. This experience helped her reclaim her identity beyond "ROGD parent" and taught her that prioritizing her own healing wasn't giving up on her children—it was the most powerful thing she could do.

We discuss why trans functions like a religious system that cannot tolerate doubt, the trauma parents experience in this situation, and practical wisdom about setting boundaries with information consumption. Lynn explains her vital work with Themis Resource Fund, which provides litigation support for detransitioners seeking justice through the legal system. She details the enormous costs and challenges of bringing these cases to trial, and why these lawsuits represent one of the most important frontiers in stopping medical harm to young people.

Lynn Chadwick began advocating and supporting parents during her career as a neonatal intensive care nurse. Her story of how her family was affected by gender ideology was first published in the Christian Post in 2019, after which Lynn began advocating for parents both publicly and privately. Lynn has volunteered with the Kelsey Coalition, Parents of ROGD Kids, Partners for Ethical Care, and Genspect. She started a private Facebook group for parents in 2019 which is still active today. She has been interviewed about her life and work including on the Wider Lens podcast. Lynn founded Themis Resource Fund in 2023 to assist detransitioned people with litigation.

To join one of the support groups Lynn runs contact [email protected]
Donate to Themis or learn more at https://themisresourcefund.org/
Follow Themis on X @ https://x.com/themisRF
My blog post about how to file a complaint against a gender affirming therapist can be found here: https://www.sometherapist.com/read/fi...

{{chapters}}
[00:00:00] Start
[00:00:54] Introduction to Lynn Chadwick and Themis Resource Fund
[00:06:16] Lynn's personal journey into activism and estrangement
[00:14:25] Identity, grief, and transformative experiences
[00:22:35] Viewing trans ideology as a belief system
[00:34:30] Failures of therapy and the role of family therapy
[00:42:30] Parents' courage, honesty, and relational approaches
[00:51:00] Introduction to ROGD Repair and peer support
[00:59:00] Parental self-care and boundaries with media
[01:13:00] Themis Resource Fund's mission and legal strategies
[01:35:00] The realities of litigation and detransitioner voices
[01:39:00] Hope for the future and closing remarks

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SHOW NOTES & transcript with help from SwellAI: https://www.swellai.com/?via=somether...

MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission. https://www.joeypecoraro.com/

PRODUCTION: thanks to Pods By Nick! Looking for help launching or producing a podcast of your own? Mention my podcast and get 20% off your initial services. https://podsbynick.com/