This just
made our week.
Tom Sosnik
may only be 13-years-old, but the articulate teen has a more solid grasp on his
sense of self than many adults we know.
In light of
the tragic death of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, Sosnik decided to
share his gender identity with his friends and family by publicly coming out.
“I am no
longer Mia. I never really was," the teen explains. "And now I
finally stand before you in my true and authentic gender identity as Tom. I
stand before you as a thirteen-year-old boy."
Sosnik
encourages his classmates to talk to him or their parents if they have
questions, but to not engage in gossip surrounding his decision to publicly
discuss his identity.
"I
really hope that you all will support my decision to embark on a harder route
in life as the boy I truly am," Sosnik tells the crowd. "Any form of
support I receive with much gratitude and I hope that everyone can really
support me because you guys are like my second family. And if you support me,
I'll feel like the luckiest boy in the world. Thank you for letting me share my
story."
As
transgender individuals continue to gain more mainstream visibility, we are
seeing more brave teens and queer youth publicly discussing their transgender
identity. Most recently, 14-year-old transgender teen Jazz Jennings not only
became the face of a Clean & Clear campaign, but also signed on to star
in an 11-part reality TV series on TLC about her life.
We're proud
of you, Tom!
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