That’s what I’m afraid of.
This whole thing breaks my heart. Here, we have Callie screaming out for the common decency and respect that they deserve yet, their elders address them as they see fit. Misgendering them and treating them as nothing more than a child. Which is a double whammy. Not only are they not a girl, they have to constantly battle in order for people to take them seriously as a percieved girl and as a child.
The moment their dad "backs up" those who see them as lesser and "just a young girl", I can tell that there's a war that continues within them, almost like it was two years prior. That they're dad is their savior, but also highly complacent in how others treat them. And that, more than likely, hurts more than anything. It's like having someone in your corner until that person is backed up against the wall and does nothing to aid you in the critism. Sometimes, it is almost as if you wish they didn't have your back, if they are going to, in a way, stand to the side as you are thrown under the bus.
I do hope there is more character development in the dad, becuse you can tell his heart is in the right place. He just needs to do more for his child. Actions, in the moment, weigh more than just saying that you have someone's back Otherwise, it is just hollow words and nearly empty promises.
