KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Two LGBTQ parents say language is important when talking to families like theirs.

What You Need To Know

LGBTQ couple shares the importance of language for parents like them

Liam Johns, a transgender man, gave birth to their two children, but he doesn’t consider himself a mother

Johns is also grateful the hospital staff changed a sign for a more inclusive one at his request

Liam Johns, a transgender man, and Duane Danielson, who is gender queer, are married.

They are busy these days with a 3-year-old and an infant.

“We have to adjust our life and schedule around them,” Danielson said.

Johns, who was born female, started transitioning to male when he was younger.

“I came out at 17 [or] 18 to myself and then at 19 [or] 20, I started hormones,” Johns said.

He stopped taking hormones to be able to conceive their children Cypress and Sequoia.

“I’ve always dreamt with having two,” Danielson said.

Johns always dreamt with being a parent, but one little thing he’ll tell you is he doesn’t consider himself a mother.

“I’m daddy or dada and Duane is Maddy,” Johns said.

Cypress and Sequoia were both born at the same Charlotte hospital.

“It was nice to see those familiar faces and have that support there, and they already know our story,” Johns said.

Both of their babies were born prematurely and spent several weeks in the same newborn intensive care unit.

“You don’t get used to it, but you learn to manage it better,” Johns said.

Last year, when Sequoia was born they noticed a sign in the lactation room read "Neonatal Milk Lactating Mother Pump Room Only." They were pleased to see Atrium Health changed the sign to "Neonatal Milk Lactating Parent Pump Room Only" when they brought it up.

“Just changing that one word can make a difference and make people more comfortable at the end of the day,” Johns said.

It also made him feel more comfortable being asked about his parent title and pronouns because one little thing he’ll tell you is language matters.

“At the end of the day, asking is more polite than assuming something and being wrong,” Johns said.

Johns said he has no problem answering those questions when people ask respectfully. For him, it shows they’re taking the initiative to educate themselves and make someone else feel welcomed.