The article shares the personal story of E., an 11-year-old trans boy, emphasizing both his supportive journey and the broader societal challenges faced by transgender youth. Despite E.'s loving family and supportive environment in New York, he has encountered bullying and skepticism. Alarmingly, statistics from the Trevor Project reveal high rates of suicidal thoughts among trans youth. The article discusses the political climate threatening these children's rights, spotlighted by substantial anti-trans advertising from the Republican Party during the upcoming elections, suggesting that trans youth are being used as political pawns in a culture war.
One afternoon in fourth grade, E. demanded I take him to get a short haircut or he would chop it off himself.
According to the Trevor Project, 46% of trans and nonbinary youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year and 16% made an attempt.
As the 2024 election heated up, it became impossible to ignore the oddly central place that E. and kids like him occupied in the rhetoric of the Republican Party.
The latest iteration of our ongoing culture war has made scapegoats – and targets – of our nation’s estimated 300,000 trans youth.
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