A very tragic teen suicide ..... she was trans....

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RitaTG

RitaTG

Well-Known Member
I have often posted about the appalling suicide rate for trans persons ..... 43%
Here we go .... the Christmas season and another one that can no longer cope.
Please read this article and keep it for when someone shares their "opinion" about God and being trans.
Remind them of this when they so nicely claim a right to their beliefs.
http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/12/...illed-on-ohio-interstate-in-apparent-suicide/
I am grieving ..... We lost a person here where I live this year ..... This hurts so much....
Even in my own family I have recently experienced that bigotry is barely under the surface.
November 20th .... the Transgender Day of Remembrance .... that evening a text message from a family member. The next day there was a special LGBTQ conference at one of the local high schools.
I was pointedly asked not to go because I might embarass their child. The comments became much more harsh as the conversation went on.
Yes I went anyways ... yes....
The name of the conference was "Dare to Stand Out". Imagine that .... and I was asked/told to hide.
Even for me .... the "strong" Rita ..... this was a terrible burden and so hard to deal with.
Family has the power to hurt us incredibly ...... we are vulnerable.....
I have shared this personal incident because it illustrates my connection to Leelah's feelings.
Sorry ...... this is a vent and I apologize for that .... but I just had to share this.
The article is a keeper and when you follow up you find so much more....
How the local news media just reported her as a boy....
Her parents still don't get it and simply refer to an accident that took their son....
Oh my how I grieve......
 
Dear RitaTG . . . caring thoughts are with as you live through your grief at this time . . . and in time ahead. I cannot imagine the feelings and emotions you are feeling. I cannot imagine the hurt and pain that must be yours as family, friends, community, and society in general heap on you their words and hate because of lack of knowledge of what it is and means to be a transgendered person. I thank you for what you have shared on WC and WC2, as you have made such a difference in my knowledge and understanding. Blessings . . . and may you know many care for you as this difficult time in your journey. Saying a prayer for you right now.
 
That is so tragic, as is all suicide. Sad to hear of your family issue too RitaTG. I add my prayer to Beloved's - she has spoken eloquently above, and I echo her sentiments.
 
I haven't read the note the person left - I think it would be too triggering for me. A radio station posted about the Pitt-Jolies allowing Shiloh to be called John now and many of the comments were pretty cruel so I responded. I just don't understand the need for hatred of a group that is not hurting you. It is so sad and makes me so sad.

If you want to read it, it's here:
https://www.facebook.com/boom99.7/p...ent_id=914343311932345&ref=notif&notif_t=like
 
RitaTG. What a tragedy on so many counts. That truck driver who hit her. The friends who didn't realize or she didn't feelcomfortable sharing the depth of her being. Her parents, and their faith that is blind to the pain that surrounds.

It is hard enough to be a teenager. I think of those youth who are reading this one, and the adults, who are living a lie in order to survive in the worlds they feel imposed on them....and I hope that there is a friend they can count on.

Peace to you today and in the days ahead as the ripples of this young woman's death are felt.
 
I don't want this thread to inspire resentment or hate against any group because that would be so easy to do and also so counter productive.
Let us be inspired and motivated my her words ....."Fix society please" .... and ..... "my death needs to mean something".
This event has set a path for me for 2015. I plan to reach out to faith groups of all brands and work at building bridges.
Enough .... there has been enough tragedy...... time to bring this into the light in a way that at least some will see.
 
RitaTG said:
Even moreso Jae ..... even moreso .....
Driven to it....
Click to expand...

I don't know of any suicides where the person wasn't driven to it - by forces outside and/or within. Perhaps it is more tragic when the forces are from outside.
 
News outlets are doing everything they can to avoid publishing that Leelah's suicide note makes extensive mention of her parent's Christian faith and their actions informed by their faith. There is an extreme unwillingness to look these losses in the eye and identify the root causes.
 
Rita, how should this death have been reported IYO? Birth name with her new name? New name? etc..... Would only giving a birth name fail to notify some new friends and only giving her new name fail to notify some prior friends? It's all groundbreaking territory.

I find most suicides are not reported in obituaries and are just listed as a death.
 
Thank you for asking Waterfall....
This person died struggling for their identity. Even the police reports in the local paper only acknowledged the former male name. The facebook posting from the parents denied her identity as well ..... swept under the rug .... even the suicide was denied....
I feel the right and honourable thing to do is to is to finally acknowledge that true identity posthumously. Listing of the other name could be done as "formerly known as X".
Imagine ... even in death the true identity will be denied and the person will be buried in a male suit and have only the former male name on the headstone.
I am afraid of that for me too.....
Denied .... even in death ......
 
chansen said:
News outlets are doing everything they can to avoid publishing that Leelah's suicide note makes extensive mention of her parent's Christian faith and their actions informed by their faith. There is an extreme unwillingness to look these losses in the eye and identify the root causes.
Click to expand...

Any faith that would lead people to drive their child to suicide is not truly of Christ.
 
chansen said:
News outlets are doing everything they can to avoid publishing that Leelah's suicide note makes extensive mention of her parent's Christian faith and their actions informed by their faith. There is an extreme unwillingness to look these losses in the eye and identify the root causes.
Click to expand...

I haven't noticed that. It was one of the first things I took note of when I first came across the story, although it could be that I'm predisposed to look for it and shake my head in sadness when I find it.

In any event, hatred is always irrational. In this case hatred led to a horrible event. As per Leelah's wishes, I hope that in death she is able to make some sort of difference.

RitaTG, as for your family situation - that's hard. Continue to be who you are. I for one have learned a great deal from you. Whatever the tensions in your family at times, know that you are appreciated by so many of us here.
 
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