This is "Me"My name is Jaxon. I am a transgender male. The most common question people ask me? How did you know? Why do you want to be “different”? My answer is always that someone should know who they are. If they feel happy because of something it’s part of you. If you love someone then you love someone. If you feel different then you are and that makes you unhappy then make yourself feel happy. Eleanor Roosevelt quoted “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” we choose what bothers us and sometimes we just have to realize we’re more than what they say we are because most of the time they are wrong.
I always felt alone. Even if I lied to myself and said I wasn’t. It’s bad enough to be physically alone but it’s even worse to be with a group of people who make you feel invisible. It took me awhile to know what I was but the hints were all there. I didn’t want the girl toys in fifth grade. I would always want them ,for my brother, was my excuse. Girl clothes didn’t interest me and I secretly always wanted briefs. I hated my long hair but I didn’t speak up because my mom loved it. |
It wasn’t until high school just last year I knew what this Transgender word meant. I surrounded myself with people like me. My school was perfect for who I was. Everyone was different, skilled, boys could wear their make-up and high-heels to school, wear dressed and be called by the name they wanted to be called without anyone stopping us. Even with all this I was afraid to tell anyone. The fear of not being accepted even though they always said they would be. I couldn’t even tell my mother who always said she would love me no matter what but just the thought of being rejected scared me. It took the death of Leelah Alcorn, a beautiful seventeen year old transgender female from Ohio, for me to come out to my family, close friends and teachers. I was a lucky one. My parents accepted me even let me cut my hair the next day and dress how I wanted. It was harder to tell my friends. The one’s I use to hang out with don’t want to talk to me but there was support out there. There always was and always will be. We just have to find it. I believe no one should ever feel alone in a world full of people. No one should be rejected to fight for our country. No one should not be given a job because they go by a preferred name. No one should die for being who they are. We can all be ourselves. Even if we don’t realize it. Should anyone have to fear for their safety just for being themselves? Just because we are changing our bodies doesn’t mean we’re changing our minds and who we are as a member of the human race. Im the same person as I was before I came out. We will still be us when we’re done. we will just be happier. Diva Fierce quoted “The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are the second greatest is being happy with what you find” because we all are humans and I do believe the hardest part of that fact is that no matter how you dress, what pronouns you go by, or what bathroom you use in public, we all desire to feel accepted. |
This is "Us"
Changing Our Bodies Won’t Change Our Minds
*Speech from Jaxon Jones. Presented April 15 2015
I speak before you as a member of the Male gender. One who knows their rights and is willing to speak for those who can not. Nearly every two days, a person is killed somewhere in the world for expressing gender nonconformity (Kellaway). Nearly every two weeks a person commits suicide for gender nonconformity. As of March 1st 2015 there has been already five transgender suicide cases in this year alone. The number could be higher because many law enforcement agencies don't keep track of transgender killings (Brandson-Potts). For those who had attempted to end their lives over sixty percent stated it was due to bullying, harassment and physical abuse at school and work (Haas). Diva Fierce quoted “The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are the second greatest is being happy with what you find” because we all are humans and I do believe the hardest part of that fact is that no matter how you dress, what pronouns you go by, or what bathroom you use in public, we all desire to feel accepted (Fierce). To begin with I believe it’s true you can’t understand what we go through as transgender people. Trapped in our bodies as many say. A big problem that always comes up? The bathroom. It’s just a place relieve yourself of unneeded bodily fluids. So why does it matter what we have underneath our pants? The Maine Human Rights Commission made an order that prohibits the school district from refusing access by transgender students to school restrooms that are consistent with their gender identity (Nicholson). Yet every time me and people like me walk near a bathroom it’s always a constant struggle of questioning which door to open. Will I get bullied? Who might say something? With so many people, who which are like me, dying, sometimes we’re even afraid to speak because our voices reveal who we strive to eradicate. Bamby Salcedo, a transgender male said at an interview “I live in fear. Am I going to be next?” (Brandson-Potts). Bullying, harassment, or discrimination against transgender or gender nonconforming students is covered by Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools (“Know your rights”). Even with this Federal Law, at a board meeting on January 14th 2015 Superintendent Lynn Weathersby told members he had talked with counsel about how to prevent what he referred to as "gay clubs" from forming on Rankin County School campus. This mainly focused on the creation of a gay-straight-alliance (GSA). A group was instead formed outside of school. Senior Lucas Bonham stated “students need this because it's a struggle trying to discover who you are and to think you're completely abnormal” (Royals). I believe no one should ever feel alone in world full of people. No one should be rejected to fight for our country. No one should not be given a job because they go by a preferred name. No one should die for being who they are. We can all be ourselves. Even if we don’t realize it. Should anyone have to fear for their safety just for being who they are. Give us a chance. Help pave the paths for youth to live better lives. Most kids half my age will kill themselves before their my age because of gender nonconformity. Until everyone can feel safe in the world and people can show tolerance, patience, serenity our work is not done. CHANGING OUR BODIES WON’T CHANGE OUR MINDS and who we are as a member of the human race. I'm the same person as I was before I came out. We will still be us when we’re done. we will just be happier. So I ask of you this. Be tolerate, heartfelt, and [accept] you and us. |
Works Cited
Brandson-Potts, Hailey. “Protesters block traffic, highlight violence against transgender people.” LA Times. The William Institute, 20 Mar. 2015. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. “Discrimination against Transgender people.” American Civil Liberties Union. American Civil Liberties Union, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. Fierce, Diva. “The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are. The second greatest challenge is being happy with what you find.” Board of Wisdom. BoardofWisdom.com, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. Haas, Ann P, and Rodgers, Philip L., Herman, Jody L.. “Suicide Attempts among Transgender and Gender Non-Confronting Adults.” Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2015. Kellaway, Mitch. “Transgender Day of Remembrance: Those we lost in 2014.” Advocate. Here Media Inc. 20 Nov. 2014 Web. 26 Mar. 2015. Kenning, Chris. “Ky. bill targets transgender bathroom use.” USA Today. Gannett satellite information Network inc., 19 Jan. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. “Know your rights.” National Center for Transgender Equality. National Center for Transgender Equality, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. Nicholson, Lucy. “Transgender student wins $75k in school bathroom discrimination suit.” USA Today. Gannett satellite information Network inc., 3 Dec. 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2015. Royals, Kate. “Students push back against school boards gay attitudes.” USA Today. Gannett satellite information Network inc., 16 Jan. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. |
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