Transgender Youth’s Strides Towards Acceptance This year, the transgender community has identified issues concerning acceptance and moved towards accomplishing the goal approval. Transgender youth, however, are still struggling with acceptance and are hoping to create awareness of its importance. Psychologists and students come forward with their stories and ways to help the transgender community make bigger strides than they already have. Transgender youth have been the victims of bullying. Bullying used to be based on how tall or short someone is, how skinny or fat, but imagine being bullied for being transgender? The Bullying of Transgender Youth Picture growing up feeling like you should be someone else. Most transgender people feel as though they are not at home in their bodies. Transgender student, Shannon, who completed her transition in 2012, speaks out about her process and the bullying involved. Now she is 16 and a freshman in high school. Shannon explained how difficult it was to speak out about her feelings to become a female. She said, “I felt something was off, like I wasn’t who I was supposed to be.” She talked about how close she is to her family and how hard it was to tell them how she felt. She said, “I remember telling my parents, I was 10. They told me it was a phase. I knew what I wanted to do so I continued to talk to them about it.” Doctor Carol Clark, a psychologist who specializes in transgender people, explains that one of the most common misconceptions of transgender youth is that it is a phase. She says this is “not the case.” Shannon explained how she finally convinced her parents when she turned 12 to let her transition. She said, “My hair was very long for a boy so I was made fun of for that. It wasn’t really until I turned 13 when people started to question why I began looking like a female.” Shannon transitioned during a time when most children start puberty. She said, “I lost a lot of friends because no one understood why I looked like a girl. I was called a weirdo, freak, and monster. It was really hard to hear that.” Shannon completed middle school with severe depression caused by the name calling and bullying that she faced. As a freshman in high school she was not expecting acceptance because of her rough past. When she began high school, she continued to be bullied. She said, “People had no idea how to refer to me, they called me ‘it.’ Someone said it was because I’m not a boy or a girl, because I’m a ‘thing.’” Shannon spoke about how severe her depression became and how she attempted to take her own life last year. She said, “I will never be back at that place. That was rock bottom for me. But if I didn’t hit rock bottom, I wouldn’t know how grateful I am for my life. I learned to love myself and tune out the nonsense. I have my friends and family by my side and I am very open to speaking about my gender.” Shannon is not the only transgender teenager experiencing bullying. She is a survivor and a strong young woman. However, many transgender teens do not know how to cope with their bullies and a lot do not have supportive families. Environment’s Importance in the Transition The way a transgender individual lives his or her life varies depending on the environment. Each person’s family and school life is different, which makes each transgender individuals story different. Psychologist Carol Clark explained the common life of a transgender person. She said, “There are no signs that someone is transgender. The person will come out and say they are transgender.” This is contrary to popular belief that there are signs that a person is transgender. She said, “The most important thing is to avoid forcing someone to admit they are transgender when they are not ready to. When they want to tell you, they will.” School life and family life both affect the transitioning process. The comfort level of a person determines whether or not he or she will say they are transgender. Transgender youth struggle with bullying and being judged, especially in school. One Long Island high school discussed having a “Gender Neutral Bathroom.” A teacher from the school said that transgender students are permitted to use the unisex bathroom, located in the nurse’s office. However, transgender students feel that they are whom they transitioned into; therefore, they should be allowed to use the Men’s or Women’s room, not the unisex one. The Board of Education is continuing to deal with this issue. A scenario such as this may postpone a transgender youth from speaking about being transgender. Carol Clark reports that a lot of transgender people will speak out sooner if they have a supportive family and community. “One of the most common misconceptions is if a person is a transgender, it will affect his or her sexual orientation. Another is that it is a phase.” Therefore, it is important to make transgender youth feel comfortable and supported. Media’s Impact on Transgenders More individuals are deciding to transition as a result of today’s media and technology. Caitlyn Jenner’s transition is a phenomenon that shocked America. The positive feedback Caitlyn received was an inspiration to many people, making it easier for individuals to decide to make a transition. In her show on E!, “I Am Cait,” she spoke to the transgender community about common issues and possible solutions. According to ABC News, she was also awarded an ESPY for the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Other celebrities who have transitioned include Laverne Cox and Chaz Bono. Looking Forward 2015 has become a groundbreaking year for the transgender community. With many people and organizations offering support, the transgender community has taken revolutionary steps to allow more individuals to speak out and transition. Carol Clark said there are multiple organizations located in each state, as well as national organizations, created to help transgenders and their families gain acceptance. These organizations are available to everyone for help with the transitioning process. Although the community has come far with the goals they would like to reach, there are still steps that need to be taken in the future.