Trans youth: Protecting the persecuted from the powerful and privileged

by Stephanie Mott
Guest Submission

“Oh my God,” said the world, to the idea that children are in danger. “We must do something!” sounded the alarm to take up immediate action, making certain people are protected. Then someone said, “Nothing in this hand.” And people were suddenly unable to see the cruel and horrifying truth that was happening before their eyes.

Conversations and concerns were struck up all over the country about how to protect ourselves from the dangers of people who have the audacity of authenticity. Young transgender human beings who dare to embrace themselves for who they truly are.

Legislation and lawlessness walking hand in hand down a path to a place where people are protected from children being honest about their gender. Conversations condemning children to lives of misery and pain.

Part of the conversation needs to be about the message this "everyone has a right to privacy and respect" message sends to transgender youth.

The message says loudly and clearly that if you are transgender, you are not included in the group of people who are worthy of privacy and respect.

The message says, without doubt, that people who are transgender do not have the right to live authentically.

The message says that someone's mongered and manufactured fear is more important to some of these people than whether or not an eight-year-old child believes their life is worth living.

At some point, we might want to ask the question, "Of whom shall I be afraid?" I am thinking we should be afraid of the legislators and governors who are attacking some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

You know, these people who are intentionally sacrificing children to pain, and pressure, and persecution for the singular purpose of staying in positions of power. Of whom shall I be afraid, indeed.

There are some very simple truths about suicide and transgender youth. Untold numbers of young people take their own lives - every day in every city, town, and state in America - because they are unable to withstand the pain of having to pretend to be someone other than who they truly are.

Statistics clearly show that when a young trans person’s identity is validated, their risk of suicide goes down. And when a young trans person’s identity is invalidated, their risk of suicide goes up.

The conversation we are not having, the conversation we must always have, is that when governments and individuals create barriers to authenticity for transgender youth, children die.

Three questions: Who are the predators? Who is the prey? How much longer will we allow powerful and privileged politicians to persecute our children?

“Oh my God,” said the world, to the idea that children are in danger . . . and people were suddenly unable to see the cruel and horrifying truth that was happening before their eyes.

Stephanie Mott is a self-described civil rights activist, transgender educator, and a “student of life.” She is the founder of the Transgender Faith Tour and studies Social Work at Washburn University in Topeka, KS.

The Gayly - 5/16/2016 @ 2:04 p.m. CDT