Scarlett Lenh, (left) 16, is a junior at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs and she made history on Friday, when she became the first ever trans woman to be picked as homecoming queen in the state – beating out three other nominees in the process. Cool!I began to think though, how now we are beginning to hear more and more young transgender women and men stepping up and out of their closet to be recognized for who they really are at their schools.
Do you remember how not so long ago Scarlett's achievement would have been met with fireworks and marching bands? Now it's more of a "feel good" story.
Unfortunately though, it's not universal. I chat with a 17 year old self described pan-sexual genetic female whose friends include a young transgender woman. They live in a Texas town where she says her and her friends have to be careful of outsiders coming into town. If they happen to "interact", she believes they could be in physical danger.
In a way she is lucky because her Mom is trying to pick up and move both of them to a more diverse town. In the meantime, change does come from the young. The more "Scarlett" stories we hear of, the better off all of us will be!
