I was texting my mom last night and it was the first time she called me by my preferred name directly since I came out to her about 2 years ago.
Every gift I've gotten, every letter sent to me, for the past 2 years it's been labeled just with my first initial. One that matches my deadname too, so my family could have plausible deniability. They all avoided it for so long. But my mom finally calls me by my name.
I wanted to cry. For the first time in years I felt genuine love and acceptance from my mother, it didn't feel forced, it didn't feel like she was avoiding saying my name. She loves me for me.