Learning From Tragedy
Amber Holt
Leelah Alcorn, a 17-year old transgender girl committed suicide by throwing herself in front of incoming traffic shortly after posting a suicide note online. A tractor-trailer hit Leelah on Interstate 71 about 2:15 a.m. on December 28, about four miles from her house in Kings Mills, Ohio. Her suicide note states that she killed herself because of the treatment she received after coming out as transgender.
She begins her suicide note with, "Please don’t be sad, it’s for the better. The life I would’ve lived isn’t worth living in… because I’m transgender. I could go into detail explaining why I feel that way, but this note is probably going to be lengthy enough as it is. To put it simply, I feel like a girl trapped in a boy’s body, and I’ve felt that way ever since I was 4." Leelah came out to her mother as transgender at the age of 14. Her mother reacted negatively towards her feelings, claiming it was a phase and that she'll never be a girl.
Leelah explained her conservative Christian home that didn't accept her as anything but a straight Christian boy. At the age of 16, her parents Doug and Carla Alcorn denied their consent for her to begin the transitioning progress. She then came out as gay to her high school in a way to ease herself into coming out as transgender. Most of her classmates knew of her as a boy before her suicide, only finding out after her death.
While Leelah received positivity from her friends in school, her parents were only angered by her actions. Her parents isolated their daughter, she was cut off from social media and any contact with her friends. Leelah posted on Reddit months before her suicide, that her parents forced her into conversion therapy, bullied her, told her she was going to hell, and isolated her from her friends. A portion of Leelah's last words stated, "This was probably the part of my life when I was the most depressed, and I’m surprised I didn’t kill myself. I was completely alone for 5 months. No friends, no support, no love. Just my parent’s disappointment and the cruelty of loneliness."
At the end of the school year, her punishment was lifted, but Leelah claimed that her friends were initially excited to see her, but they didn't really care about her. "After a summer of having almost no friends plus the weight of having to think about college, save money for moving out, keep my grades up, go to church each week and feel like s*** because everyone there is against everything I live for, I have decided I’ve had enough."
Leelah Alcorn finishes her suicide note by stating she wants her possessions to be sold, the money earned and the money in her bank account would be donated to Trans civil rights movements and support groups.
The last words Leelah ever wrote are, "The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say “that’s f***** up” and fix it. Fix society. Please." She signed her name as (Leelah) Josh Alcorn, with the name Josh crossed out.
After Leelah's suicide, her parents still refuse to acknowledge her real gender. Her parents continue to use her former name and male pronouns. "He was an amazing musician and artist," her mother said. "He was an amazing boy." Carla and Doug also had her blog removed from Tumblr, the website where she posted her suicide note and a few sorry notes to those she knew. Internet users uploaded a saved archive of her blog without their permission which is here- https://web.archive.org/web/20150102043958/http://lazerprincess.tumblr.com/. There is controversy over whether or not her parents deserve the hate they received over social media.
Leelah Alcorn's funeral was postponed for its original date due to the threats her parents received, and a private funeral was held. Meanwhile a candle vigil was held in front of Kings High School, where she attended. Hundreds gathered at the vigil, with their candles lit. There was music, poetry, mourning, and discussions on what they could do for the transgender community. More than a dozen other vigils were held in and out of the U.S.
Leelah's suicide brought more awareness to the poisonous relationship between transgenders and coversion therapy. A petition was posted to whitehouse.gov to ban conversion therapy in the United States. This petition is titled "Leelah's Law" and stated that "Therapists that engage in the attempt to brainwash or reverse any child's gender identity or sexual orientation are seriously unethical and legislation is needed to end such practices that are resulting in LGBTQ+ deaths. We respectfully seek your help to ban the practice known as 'conversion therapy' and name the bill in honor of Leelah Alcorn." So far the petition received more than 35,000 signatures, and an endless amount of support.
Leelah's death was tragic, and some debated over whether a suicide such as her's should be given so much attention. Others point out that Leelah's last words were a plea for change, and that the issues that the transgender community faces has to be brought to attention. However, either side makes it clear that Leelah Alcorn will not be forgotten any time soon.
