Leelah Alcorn's story reverberated through the nation after her suicide after receiving conversation therapy. Her story is not rare. 50% of transgender youth have at least one suicide attempt prior to their 20th birthday. According to the Trevor Project, LGBT youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times more likely to attempt or commit suicide as those who report no or low levels of rejection. Just this month there have been at least three murders of trans women of color, who are...
Leelah Alcorn's story reverberated through the nation after her suicide after receiving conversation therapy. Her story is not rare. 50% of transgender youth have at least one suicide attempt prior to their 20th birthday. According to the Trevor Project, LGBT youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times more likely to attempt or commit suicide as those who report no or low levels of rejection. Just this month there have been at least three murders of trans women of color, who are the greatest risk. Lamia Beard, Ty Lee Underwood, and Ms. Williams lost their lives this month due to gender-based, transphobic violence. We cannot allow their stories to be lost.
Please join the GLSO, Lexington Fairness, Lexington GSA, TransKY, UK GSA, UK LGBTQ Task Force, UK OUTsource, UK Shades of Pride, and the UK Violence Intervention and Prevention Program as we host Dr. Daniel Walinsky from the Counseling Psychology Department at UK as he educates us about conversion therapy. After Dr. Walinsky speaks, a panel discussion will take place where the topic will be about fixing society.
For Leelah, let us begin to look within ourselves and take action, even if it is just one step.
Please join us at Memorial Hall on Thursday, February 12 at 7:00pm for this great event! This event is free and open to students and the public.
