Trapped in the Wrong Body: Trans Teens Open the Door to Self Confidence

Hate Crimes against Transgender Youth

A hate crime is a crime committed against a person or group of people because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation. Hate crimes are different from other types of crimes because they are specifically motivated by bias or prejudice. Unfortunately, hate crimes and hate incidents* against transgender people happen every day.

• On December 31, 1993, a 21-year-old transgender youth named Brandon Teena (formerly Teena Brandon) was murdered in Nebraska by two male acquaintances. Both men were found guilty of murder. One of them was sentenced to life in prison and one was sentenced to death. Brandon’s death brought attention to violence against transgender people as well as the lack of protection given to them by the law. Two films were made based on Brandon’s story: the 1998 documentary, The Brandon Teena Story, and the 1999 Oscar winner, Boys Don’t Cry.
• On October 4, 2002 in California, 17-year-old Gwen Amber Rose Araujo, a transgender teen, was murdered by a group of young adults who were later tried, found guilty, and sent to prison. The aftermath of her murder drew media attention to hate crimes against transgender people and also to the importance of using correct terminology when talking about gender identity. Pronouns (“she” or “he”) should be used on the basis of how the person identifies (if you are unsure how a person identifies, you can always ask them). Although Gwen was physically male, she identified and expressed herself as a female and should be referred to as female. A year after she was murdered, the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund for Transgender Education was created.

*Hate Incident: a non-physical type of hate crime such as verbal harassment or discriminatory behavior,

What Are Your Rights?

In recent years, trans activists have struggled hard to pass laws to protect their rights. Although it has been a slow process, there has been some improvement.

• Thirteen states, the District of Columbia, and more than 80 cities and counties in the U.S. have passed anti-discrimination laws based on gender identities and expression.
• In November 2001, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 73 percent of Americans supported laws against sexual orientation hate crimes; however, this poll did not specifically refer to transgendered people.
• In November 2007, the House passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (EDNA) against discrimination in the workplace. The act guarantees protection to all employees based on their sexual orientation, but does not extend protection to transgender people.
• The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA)/ Matthew Shepard Act was brought to Congress in March 2007. The bill gives the Justice Department permission to help investigate hate crimes. On May 3, 2007, the United States House of Representatives passed the bill, and the Senate passed its version on September 27, 2007; however, the House and Senate have not yet agreed on the bill and President Bush has hinted that he will veto it. The Act includes sexual orientation and gender identity in its definition of hate crimes.

Transitioning

Some trans people simply live their lives in their chosen genders by changing their names, wearing the clothes of the gender they identify with, etc.. Others decide to take the step of physically changing their bodies to match the gender they mentally feel they are. A doctor will often require a trans person to receive professional counseling and live as the gender they identify with for an extended period of time before making any physical changes.

Hormones

Though we all produce the hormones estrogen and testosterone, females produce more estrogen and males produce more testosterone, which is how the two sexes develop different physical characteristics. If you want to become the other gender you must take the opposite hormone of what your body naturally produces. When a woman takes testosterone, her voice deepens and she grows more body hair including on the chest and face. When a man takes estrogen, he can develop breasts, his body shape can change to more of a “pear” shape, he can lose some facial hair, and his voice increases in pitch.

Of course there are risks to taking hormones. Men who take estrogen can develop blood clots (which can be fatal), diabetes, and high blood pressure, among other problems. Women who take testosterone run a higher risk of developing high cholesterol, liver disease, and breast cancer. Many transmen also feel very aggressive and have a hard time controlling their anger--especially in the first year after starting hormones.

Sexual Reassignment Surgery

Sexual reassignment surgery is when you have surgery to change your body to that of the opposite sex. Typically you must be 18 or older and have spent a certain amount of time living as the opposite gender--and the outcome is much more drastic than the changes hormones produce. FTM (Female to Male) surgeries can include removing the breasts and/or the uterus, and sometimes the ovaries. FTMs also can have surgery to create a penis. MTF (Male to Female) surgeries can include shaving the Adam’s apple, removing the testicles and penis, and creating a vagina. Healing time varies depending on what kind of surgery is performed, but it is often extensive. Most trans people who go through sexual reassignment surgery report that they are very satisfied with the results.

Looking for support?

If you are a trans teen or have a trans friend, here are some safe resources to help you find support and information.

GLBT National Help Center: This organization provides a hotline and e-mail counseling. It also has a Youth Talkline specifically for young adults up to age 25 who have questions or problems about relationships, coming out issues, school, HIV/AIDS anxiety, and safer sex.
http://glbtnationalhelpcenter.org/talkline/index.html
Helpline: 1-800-246-7743
Mon-Fri 8 p.m. to midnight, EST

TransProud: Sponsored by OutLoud, The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, this organization provides resources such as true stories, facts, book recommendations, and a role model archive for transgender youth.
www.Transproud.com

TransGenderCare: This is an organization that focuses on medical care for transgendered people. This site may be targeting an older audience, but if you’re looking for medical advice it would be a great place to go!
www.transgendercare.com

Novels with Transgender Characters

Luna, by Julie Anne Peters
Stone Butch Blue, by Leslie Feinberg
Drag King Dreams, by Leslie Feinberg

For More Information

Transparent: Love, Family and Living the T with Transgender Teenagers, by Cris Beam

Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws,
by Kate Bornstein

GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens, by Kelly Huegel

Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities, by David Levithan

Sources

www.transgendercare.com, www.transproud.com, www.bagly.org, www.en.wikipedia.org, www.sfgate.com, www.nbc11.com, www.srlp.org, www.glbtq.com, www.hrc.org, www.lgbthealthchannel.com, www.lgbthealthchannel.com, www.lauras-playground.com, www.gendersanity.com

main 1 2

Guidance for Grown-ups
Go to our new Guidance for Grown-ups section for special activities and tips on this feature!