Transgender teens currently have one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. Conversion therapy is a major factor in this statistic. It is obvious that these conversion therapists do nothing but harm youth and have often driven some, like Leelah Alcorn, to self harm and suicide. Leelah was a 17-year-old transgender female who decided to end her life on December 27th of 2014 when she ran onto the street and into a tractor trailer. She documented the final years of her life on Tumblr and often posted about the lack of understanding and acceptance from her parents. Like many other LGBT kids today, Leelah was obligated to visit a conversional therapist that would basically try to brainwash her. In her suicide note, Leelah wrote that she wanted her death to mean something. She strived for change and her one wish was for us to "fix society". After everyone learned about Leelah, someone started a petition. It is a law that bans conversional therapy all across the U.S. This law could possibly save lives and make that future a better place for LGBT youth. If you have time, please sign this petition. It is heartbreaking to know that, due to her unaccepting parents, Leelah was buried in a tux with the wrong name on her tomb. We can make a change. For more information and resources on how you can help, please visit LeelahsLaw.com.
Sincerely,
Olympia
This honestly brought tears to my eyes. I know some people with the same issue, like how their parents or even some friends don't accept them. I find it so sad that Leelah's parents didn't accept her to the point of killing herself! The part about how she went to a therapist who brainwashed her, that is truly so sad and disgusting. Did her parents really want her to be like every teen? Did they have to try to "fix her"? There was nothing wrong with her at all. Great job Olympia! You have once again made a blog worth reading not only to our journalism class but to everyone.
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