Former Home and Away actor Mat Stevenson spoke with his daughter Grace on The Sunday Project about her coming out, his adjustment as a parent and the importance of family support. PerthNow’s report of the January 2021 interview described Grace as “courageous” and focused on the family’s account of her experience.
What Grace said about recognizing her identity
In the interview, Grace recalled feeling from around age four that she was in the wrong body, though she said she could not explain those feelings at the time. Nearly a decade later, she told her stepmother in a note. Grace said her stepmother supported her and helped her work out how to tell other people. PerthNow reported those recollections on 18 January 2021.
How Mat Stevenson described adjusting as a parent
Stevenson said that once he knew, Grace’s identity made sense to him. He also described changing how he spoke to her, moving from calling her “mate” to “sweetheart.” He presented that adjustment as a small part of a much more challenging experience for Grace, and said he was proud of her.
Reflecting on her transition, Stevenson said: “When I saw Grace run towards authenticity and run over all the hurdles to do so, I had a front row seat to the most courageous thing I’ve seen.” In a later report, 4BC published a related conversation with Mat and Grace on 30 November 2021, including his reflection on seeing her pursue authenticity.
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What Grace said about clinical care before medication
Grace said she had been attending a gender clinic for a year before receiving medication, and that doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists were involved in the decision. As she put it: “I was seeing the gender clinic for a year before I was let on a single medication. It was a decision made with doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists.” That is Grace’s account of her own experience in the interview, not a description of a universal clinical process.
She also explained that being made to go through male puberty would have been distressing for her personally. The report presents this as her perspective on her own circumstances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the interview emphasized family support
Grace encouraged parents of transgender children to support them, saying: “With your support they can have a happy life.” Stevenson also spoke about the strain of seeing online comments directed at Grace. Together, their comments framed support not as a claim that every family’s experience is the same, but as a message they wanted other parents to hear.
The accounts are from interviews reported in 2021. They describe what Grace and Stevenson said at that time and do not establish their current circumstances.
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