when I was in elementary school I insisted to my family that I was a
insisted to my family that I was a
insisted to my family that I was a tomboy to which I got the response
tomboy to which I got the response
tomboy to which I got the response you’re the girliest girl in the family
you’re the girliest girl in the family
you’re the girliest girl in the family but I’ll tell you right now
but I’ll tell you right now
but I’ll tell you right now that is completely untrue I’m the
that is completely untrue I’m the
that is completely untrue I’m the girliest boy in the family
I’m genderqueer I’m somewhere between
I’m genderqueer I’m somewhere between two genders and no gender at all which
two genders and no gender at all which
two genders and no gender at all which confuses a lot of people and I get that
confuses a lot of people and I get that
confuses a lot of people and I get that but this confusion removes many of the
but this confusion removes many of the
but this confusion removes many of the assumptions people can make about me
assumptions people can make about me
assumptions people can make about me you can’t label the box if you’re not
you can’t label the box if you’re not
you can’t label the box if you’re not sure which box I go in to begin with
sure which box I go in to begin with
sure which box I go in to begin with being genderqueer for me means that I’m
being genderqueer for me means that I’m
being genderqueer for me means that I’m transgender my gender does not align
transgender my gender does not align
transgender my gender does not align with societal expectations of my sex
with societal expectations of my sex
with societal expectations of my sex assigned at Birth one could even say
assigned at Birth one could even say
assigned at Birth one could even say that it transcends it unfortunately it
that it transcends it unfortunately it
that it transcends it unfortunately it also means that I am up against the
also means that I am up against the
also means that I am up against the widely supported statistics that say
widely supported statistics that say
widely supported statistics that say that 40% of trans people commit suicide
that 40% of trans people commit suicide
that 40% of trans people commit suicide or attempt attempt suicide compare that
or attempt attempt suicide compare that
or attempt attempt suicide compare that to the national average of half of 1% in
to the national average of half of 1% in
to the national average of half of 1% in addition the likelihood that will be
addition the likelihood that will be
addition the likelihood that will be murdered increases every year which
murdered increases every year which
murdered increases every year which rings even more true for women of color
rings even more true for women of color
rings even more true for women of color between these stats according to NPR I’m
between these stats according to NPR I’m
between these stats according to NPR I’m not likely to live past the age of 30
not likely to live past the age of 30
not likely to live past the age of 30 for reference
for reference
for reference I’m almost 26 and four years is not
I’m almost 26 and four years is not
I’m almost 26 and four years is not enough I refuse to accept that I might
enough I refuse to accept that I might
enough I refuse to accept that I might only have four years left
only have four years left
only have four years left which is exactly why I’m in the field of
which is exactly why I’m in the field of
which is exactly why I’m in the field of education following alongside my
education following alongside my
education following alongside my father’s footsteps he is such an
father’s footsteps he is such an
father’s footsteps he is such an inspiration to me as a kind and
inspiration to me as a kind and
inspiration to me as a kind and determined human being and I would be
determined human being and I would be
determined human being and I would be lucky to end up half a man he is of
lucky to end up half a man he is of
lucky to end up half a man he is of course being genderqueer I might
course being genderqueer I might
course being genderqueer I might literally be half the man he has
this subject can be hard for me to talk
this subject can be hard for me to talk about so four more years I refuse to
about so four more years I refuse to
about so four more years I refuse to accept that and that’s not even the fear
accept that and that’s not even the fear
accept that and that’s not even the fear that media outlets sensationalize they
that media outlets sensationalize they
that media outlets sensationalize they like to talk about surgery and bathrooms
like to talk about surgery and bathrooms
like to talk about surgery and bathrooms and completely skip over the problems
and completely skip over the problems
and completely skip over the problems that should actually matter to the
that should actually matter to the
that should actually matter to the general public like the stats from UCLA
general public like the stats from UCLA
general public like the stats from UCLA which tell us that 10% of the population
which tell us that 10% of the population
which tell us that 10% of the population is lesbian gay bisexual or transgender
is lesbian gay bisexual or transgender
is lesbian gay bisexual or transgender commonly referred to as LGBT and even
commonly referred to as LGBT and even
commonly referred to as LGBT and even though only 10% of the population is
though only 10% of the population is
though only 10% of the population is LGBT 40% of homeless youth are LGBT to
LGBT 40% of homeless youth are LGBT to
LGBT 40% of homeless youth are LGBT to give you an idea of what that looks like
give you an idea of what that looks like
give you an idea of what that looks like if this audience was comprised of
if this audience was comprised of
if this audience was comprised of homeless youth everyone to my left would
homeless youth everyone to my left would
homeless youth everyone to my left would be LGBT that’s not okay the best part of
be LGBT that’s not okay the best part of
be LGBT that’s not okay the best part of being an education for me is that is a
being an education for me is that is a
being an education for me is that is a faith that students have in me I have
faith that students have in me I have
faith that students have in me I have students who come in regularly looking
students who come in regularly looking
students who come in regularly looking for advice resources even just someone
for advice resources even just someone
for advice resources even just someone who’s willing to listen without judgment
who’s willing to listen without judgment
who’s willing to listen without judgment I have one student who comes in once or
I have one student who comes in once or
I have one student who comes in once or twice a week who came in one day sat me
twice a week who came in one day sat me
twice a week who came in one day sat me down and was the subtle confidence said
down and was the subtle confidence said
down and was the subtle confidence said I think I’m a girl it’s not that
I think I’m a girl it’s not that
I think I’m a girl it’s not that anything anyone says the mean of my
anything anyone says the mean of my
anything anyone says the mean of my students say shocks me at this point but
students say shocks me at this point but
students say shocks me at this point but the idea that someone is trusting you
the idea that someone is trusting you
the idea that someone is trusting you this is an aspect of their identity
this is an aspect of their identity
this is an aspect of their identity especially a marginalized one never gets
especially a marginalized one never gets
especially a marginalized one never gets old and that’s why I do what I do I get
old and that’s why I do what I do I get
old and that’s why I do what I do I get to be part of this story I get to be
to be part of this story I get to be
to be part of this story I get to be representation for them where I have
representation for them where I have
representation for them where I have none I still look at my job and my
none I still look at my job and my
none I still look at my job and my school and my state and see hardly
school and my state and see hardly
school and my state and see hardly anyone like me and in some aspects I see
anyone like me and in some aspects I see
anyone like me and in some aspects I see no one like me so if I’m going to make
no one like me so if I’m going to make
no one like me so if I’m going to make it past four more years
it past four more years
it past four more years am I going to change myself
am I going to change myself
am I going to change myself fit this world where am I going to
fit this world where am I going to
fit this world where am I going to convince the world to love me exactly as
convince the world to love me exactly as
convince the world to love me exactly as I am that I’m worthy of that love that
I am that I’m worthy of that love that
I am that I’m worthy of that love that I’m worthy of human rights can I be
I’m worthy of human rights can I be
I’m worthy of human rights can I be representation for the underrepresented
so what can we do what would you say if
so what can we do what would you say if your father your sister your child if
your father your sister your child if
your father your sister your child if one of those people came out to you if
one of those people came out to you if
one of those people came out to you if one of those people told told you that
one of those people told told you that
one of those people told told you that they are that they are gay that they are
they are that they are gay that they are
they are that they are gay that they are transgender would you be shot would you
transgender would you be shot would you
transgender would you be shot would you be silent will you believe them would
be silent will you believe them would
be silent will you believe them would you reject them or could you take this
you reject them or could you take this
you reject them or could you take this opportunity to learn more about their
opportunity to learn more about their
opportunity to learn more about their identity to love them to accept them to
identity to love them to accept them to
identity to love them to accept them to validate them and take the time to learn
validate them and take the time to learn
validate them and take the time to learn more much of the confusion
more much of the confusion
more much of the confusion misunderstanding and rejection of LGBT
misunderstanding and rejection of LGBT
misunderstanding and rejection of LGBT people comes from a lack of education so
people comes from a lack of education so
people comes from a lack of education so I invite you to educate yourself go to
I invite you to educate yourself go to
I invite you to educate yourself go to an LGBT sensitivity training do online
an LGBT sensitivity training do online
an LGBT sensitivity training do online research websites like The Trevor
research websites like The Trevor
research websites like The Trevor Project there where you can find
Project there where you can find
Project there where you can find resources on how to respect a
resources on how to respect a
resources on how to respect a transgender persons pronouns like he she
transgender persons pronouns like he she
transgender persons pronouns like he she or they what to do when someone comes
or they what to do when someone comes
or they what to do when someone comes out to you how to address a name change
out to you how to address a name change
out to you how to address a name change and more the only thing standing in the
and more the only thing standing in the
and more the only thing standing in the way of true equity is education which is
way of true equity is education which is
way of true equity is education which is within your grasp you can stand out and
within your grasp you can stand out and
within your grasp you can stand out and speak out against injustice
speak out against injustice
speak out against injustice you can vote with me in mind you can
you can vote with me in mind you can
you can vote with me in mind you can even change my life expectancy thank you
even change my life expectancy thank you
even change my life expectancy thank you [Applause]
”
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