Joshua Jernigan (he/him/his) is a transgender and queer rights activist living in the greater Charlotte, NC metropolitan area where he and his husband are raising their family together. He started the Gender Education Network, an organization helping transgender and gender diverse youth under 12, and is passionate about ensuring every child has a safe and loving home to nurture their growing identities.

Joshua has extensive experience in early childhood education both in traditional classroom settings and remotely. He has previously taught classes on numerous topics ranging from sign language instruction to racial and gender identities to queer history and creative writing.

Joshua is passionate about accurate and accessible history. He has worked hard to protect and illuminate many aspects of our historical records that have been actively suppressed by those aiming to promote self-serving narratives. This passion has led to him giving several speeches about accurate queer history and why it’s important that this information be available for all individuals.

When not helping kids or educating in some way, Joshua enjoys hiking, camping, and just hanging out with his family. He has authored a children’s book, and is working on additional writing projects currently.  He and his husband also recently founded Wild Pride Productions, a media company with many awesome projects planned for the near future.

One of the most asked questions is “Why does it matter?” Why does it matter if someone is queer? Why does it matter to anyone who someone loves? Why do you have to keep talking about it? I just want my child to learn xyz, why does their sexuality orientation or gender identity matter?

Today we will answer that question. Together, we’ll unpack why this conversation exists at all, what children actually learn from silence, and how talking about differences can support safety, empathy, and real world readiness. This talk invites caregivers to think practically, compassionately, and honestly about how we prepare kids for a diverse world, without asking anyone to abandon their values.