From Pitt Meadows, BC Canada:
I don’t have much of a story, I am bisexual and a Christian, but I don’t feel that matters in the grand scheme of things here.
What happened to you shouldn’t happen to anyone and conversion therapies are so wrong on so many levels.
I just wanted to say I stand by you Leelah, and you will always be in my heart and we’ll keep fighting for you. I am so so sorry it took your death for this movement, but I promise it will not be in vain.
– Kira
The news of Leelah’s suicide hit me like a full body blow. My initial reaction was anger toward her parents – how could anyone be so ignorant and insensitive?
Then I thought back a decade when I first learned about what it means to be transgender – through a 13yo trans-boy who asked for help. At that point, there wasn’t much published on the Internet, so it took some digging and sifting to piece a clear picture.
Even today, with a plethora of L, G, B and T resources out there, members of the public who aren’t directly or indirectly affected by someone in the spectrum still have no clue, and no reason to go looking for information. Worse, those in religious communities may be hearing damaging messages from leaders they trust, almost blindly.
Public education is key here, just as with marriage equality. The tide turned for that issue, and so it can for Leelah’s Law and transgender awareness in general.
I know what conversion therapy is but I guess I didn’t realize how bad it was! My parents are the type that would have tried that if they had the funds but I always though I would just sit and ignore the idiot therapist but apparently it isn’t that easy. Can someone give me an idea of what goes on in these sessions?? Thanks!
Jamie, Leelah herself described the sessions she endured in her suicide letter and earlier blogs on tumblr. Unfortunately, her parents have taken them down, but luckily many others had the foresight to archive the pages. You can find them on tumblr and all over the Internet. She went by the name LazerPrincess.
Leelah’s tumblr account been recreated at http://lazer-princess.tumblr.com