Watch this grandma’s reaction to her grandchild coming out as transgender

For an older generation who didn’t grow up with a ton of out and proud gay, lesbian and transgender folks, it can be difficult to understand or accept those who self-identify in those ways. Which is why almost everyone has seen or heard a joke about how to deal with racist or ignorant elders at Thanksgiving dinner. But one grandma in the UK proved those stereotypes wrong.

Eleven-year-old Gavin Cueto was born a girl, but knew when he was 11 that the term “transgender” described him. Too scared to talk to his mom, he decided to tell his grandmother Elaine. Here are the two of them more recently, looking like the most adorable BFFs ever:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BenRjTUA4jW/?taken-by=gavincueto

“She was so supportive, and told me that if this was something I wanted to do, then I had to go and do it,” Cueto, now 20, says.

According to a video they later posted to YouTube, Gavin was spending the night with his nan when he decided to make his confession. “Gavin came in wanting to talk to me,” Elaine explains in the video. “He said, ‘Nan, I’ve got something to tell you. I want to be a boy.’ I said, ‘Wouldn’t we all?’ We’d all like to be a man, because they’ve got a better life than us.”

Though Elaine didn’t understand what Gavin meant right away, she eventually understood that he physically wanted to be a boy, and she wholeheartedly supported him. “It did make sense in a way. Because we knew there was something wrong, didn’t we? It was nice to know that we knew then what it was. You used to be moody and you didn’t want to interact with other people.”

Elaine even gave her grandson the money to start transitioning and helped him pick out a new name. “So what did you think of my new name?” Gavin asks.

“Oh, I liked it, yes,” Elaine responds. “In any case, because I chose it.”

The adorable twosome share a laugh at her remark. As for his middle name, he chose Samuel, as it was his grandmother’s maiden name.

“What changes have you noticed since I started taking testosterone?” Gavin asks.

“More masculine you are, good looking. Ooooh,” she responds with a giggle.

Many families mourn the loss of the person they knew before the transition. But Elaine didn’t seem to have any problem with that. “I like you as you are,” she says. “I prefer you as you are. You’re more happy and confident.”

Is your heart melting yet?

“I couldn’t wish for a better grandson,” Elaine says. We bet Gavin couldn’t wish for a better grandma either.

To see the pair’s adorable Q&A, watch the video below:

Don’t you wish everyone could be this open and supportive?