San Antonio father fights for his transgender daughter in the documentary The Dads

Ed Diaz and other fathers of trans and nonbinary children share their stories of fear, love and resistance in the SXSW film.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 9:51pm

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Ed Diaz, a San Antonio contractor, is one of the parents featured in the new documentary The Dads. The film looks at families as they maneuver a political system in Texas that's making it increasingly difficult for their transgender and nonbinary children to live openly and safely as themselves. Since Texas Senate Bill 14 banned gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, Diaz's 13-year-old transgender daughter Charli has become a permanent resident of Canada, where the family feels she can flourish. Diaz discusses the decision to leave Texas, the importance of the support system he's found with other fathers of trans kids, and his hopes that the film will inspire others to listen to and support their transgender children.

Why it matters

The Dads documentary shines a light on the challenges faced by families with transgender and nonbinary children in the current political climate, particularly in states like Texas that have passed restrictive laws targeting trans youth. Diaz's story highlights the difficult choices parents must make to ensure their children's safety and well-being, as well as the vital importance of community support for LGBTQ+ families.

The details

When Texas Senate Bill 14 was signed into law in 2023, banning gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, Diaz worried about what that would mean for his 13-year-old transgender daughter Charli. Diaz and his family have since become permanent residents of Canada, where Charli is thriving in a supportive environment. Diaz became involved with advocacy groups in Texas and decided to share his family's story in The Dads documentary, which was born out of a retreat providing support for fathers of trans and nonbinary children.

  • Texas Senate Bill 14 was signed into law in 2023.
  • The Texas Supreme Court upheld SB 14 in 2024.
  • Diaz's family became permanent residents of Canada after the passage of SB 14.

The players

Ed Diaz

A 55-year-old San Antonio contractor and father of a 13-year-old transgender daughter, Charli, who is now a permanent resident of Canada.

Charli

Diaz's 13-year-old transgender daughter who has become a permanent resident of Canada with her family.

Tim McDiarmid

Charli's stepmother, a former San Antonio chef and restaurateur.

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General who, along with Governor Greg Abbott, attempted to go after parents for child abuse for providing gender-affirming care to their transgender children.

Greg Abbott

The Governor of Texas who, along with Attorney General Ken Paxton, attempted to go after parents for child abuse for providing gender-affirming care to their transgender children.

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What they’re saying

“She's on her way to becoming a Canadian citizen. We got her in a great school that she loves. She is flourishing. It's been amazing for us. Sadly, other families dealing with this don't have the opportunity to leave.”

— Ed Diaz, Father (sacurrent.com)

“Everyone has their own individual journey. Some of what I experienced stemmed from fear, because you're afraid that something bad is going to happen to your child. But then I just started taking more of a lead from my daughter as we allowed her to express herself in a way she felt comfortable.”

— Ed Diaz, Father (sacurrent.com)

What’s next

Diaz plans to reunite with his daughter Charli and her stepmother in Canada in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The Dads documentary highlights the difficult choices and immense challenges faced by families with transgender and nonbinary children in the current political climate, especially in states like Texas that have passed restrictive laws targeting trans youth. Diaz's story underscores the importance of unconditional love, community support, and creating safe environments for transgender children to thrive.