In an effort to encourage my children to further explore their writing, I suggested to my eleven year old daughter that she pick any topic she liked and write about it, and which I would post on my blog. Inspired by a recent article in her middle-school newspaper, and subsequent online research that she did herself, what follows is her first blog post. The words, images, and opinions are her own and have not been edited.
Hi! This is my first time I've written on a blog so I am pretty excited. Today for my first topic I would like to talk about Transgender. When I first heard about it I was, well, stumped. I didn't know what to think. But then I thought about it a little more and thought it was right. But A year later I heard about Leelah Alcorn. Then I thought what could I do to help her rest in peace, and That is what I am going to write about in this blog today.
What is transgender? Transgender is the transition of one sex to another. Everyone has a gender identity. This is when you think of yourself as a male or female. Most gender identities match their born anatomy. But transgenders have a different gender perspective than what they appear. But society tells us certain rules that follow our anatomy. They expect boys to act like boys and girls to act like girls. They have expectations for us like hairstyles, jobs, clothing, etc. But they don't give us a verbal binding for these rules. That's because they are everywhere. This is what society expects from us, to give in to what they see as the right way of life. Transgenders break these expectations and prove to our society that being different isn't wrong.
Being transgendered is not the same as being gay. Being gay is about the gender your attracted to, transgender is the gender you identify yourself with. Gay and lesbian people do not want to be a different gender. They are just attracted to the same sex.
Leelah Alcorn was a transgendered girl who took her life on December 28th, 2014 when she walked infront of a semi-truck in the middle of traffic. She had set her suicide note to post at 5:30 pm on tumblur. In her note she describes when she told her mother she wanted to be a girl. She states that her mother told her it was a phase, that god doesn't make mistakes. Her parents didn't accept her identity and didn't allow her to transition. This was one of the struggles she talked about in her note. Later she describes when her parents cut her off from social media, took her to therapists, and transferred her to a different school. The therapist had told her that she should look to god for help and she was being selfish and trying to get attention.
At the end of Leelah's note she sends out a call to everyone, "The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people arent treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings & human rights. Gender neeeds to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better."
After reading this members of the LGBTQ+( read her letter they started petitions for "Leelah's Law" all across the internet. This law will banish transgender conversation therapy. If you would like to pay respect to all transgenders like Leelah, Transgender Rememberance day is Nov. 20th.
Like Leelah's mom says, "god doesn't make mistakes," she was only partly right in that sentence. I dont believe god makes mistakes. I believe that he sent us transgenders to change society, and teach us all that being different is ok and change is a good thing.
Just strip away all the skin, gender identities, and labels. Are any of us different? No. We are all the same with feelings and emotions. We all deserve rights and opinions because we are all people. All the labels are just our masks ans people like Leelah, who take off their masks, show us reality. They show us what really happens that society tries to hide. They show us the things society call, wrong, imperfect, something that does not belong.
We need to change this. We need to learn to accept these differences. To accept these people for who they are. One thing that can help us is to remember change is inevitable. Whether you like it or not, change will happen.
If you want to help change this world, then sign Leelah's Law. Help start the beginning of all freedom, no matter who you are.
Right not Wrong
by Isabella J.
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| Leelah Alcorn |
Being transgendered is not the same as being gay. Being gay is about the gender your attracted to, transgender is the gender you identify yourself with. Gay and lesbian people do not want to be a different gender. They are just attracted to the same sex.
Leelah Alcorn was a transgendered girl who took her life on December 28th, 2014 when she walked infront of a semi-truck in the middle of traffic. She had set her suicide note to post at 5:30 pm on tumblur. In her note she describes when she told her mother she wanted to be a girl. She states that her mother told her it was a phase, that god doesn't make mistakes. Her parents didn't accept her identity and didn't allow her to transition. This was one of the struggles she talked about in her note. Later she describes when her parents cut her off from social media, took her to therapists, and transferred her to a different school. The therapist had told her that she should look to god for help and she was being selfish and trying to get attention.
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| A copy of Leelah's suicide note. |
After reading this members of the LGBTQ+( read her letter they started petitions for "Leelah's Law" all across the internet. This law will banish transgender conversation therapy. If you would like to pay respect to all transgenders like Leelah, Transgender Rememberance day is Nov. 20th.
Like Leelah's mom says, "god doesn't make mistakes," she was only partly right in that sentence. I dont believe god makes mistakes. I believe that he sent us transgenders to change society, and teach us all that being different is ok and change is a good thing.
Just strip away all the skin, gender identities, and labels. Are any of us different? No. We are all the same with feelings and emotions. We all deserve rights and opinions because we are all people. All the labels are just our masks ans people like Leelah, who take off their masks, show us reality. They show us what really happens that society tries to hide. They show us the things society call, wrong, imperfect, something that does not belong.
We need to change this. We need to learn to accept these differences. To accept these people for who they are. One thing that can help us is to remember change is inevitable. Whether you like it or not, change will happen.
If you want to help change this world, then sign Leelah's Law. Help start the beginning of all freedom, no matter who you are.
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