Vigil to Honor Transgender Ohio Teen After Suicide

STEVENS POINT — Local organizations are offering community members the chance to discuss the impact of a transgender Ohio teen’s recent suicide.
The Stevens Point Area Senior High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance is partnering with the Central Wisconsin Pride Resource Network to sponsor a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Leelah Alcorn, whose Dec. 28 death after being hit by a semi-trailer was ruled a suicide. She left a post on her Tumblr account in which she said that she was unhappy with her life and that she wanted her death to mean something and be counted among the other transgender suicides that year.
GSA Adviser Denny Rosenthal said the group wanted to host the vigil to offer people a place where they can discuss the impacts this suicide has on people, as the issue can hit home in Wisconsin even though it took place in Ohio.
“It’s very heartbreaking for all of us when we hear about something like this,” she said. “The kids are very close to this situation, so they wanted to do something in remembrance of her.”
She said SPASH has several transgender students and that a lack of support during a transgender transition can make the situation even harder for transgender youth.
“It’s not an easy transition for these kids, especially at that age,” she said. “When you don’t have support, it makes it even more difficult, and that’s what we want to get out in this community.
Rosenthal said she is also organizing a 5K walk/run for April to raise funds for a transgender organization.
Anyone with questions can contact Rosenthal for more information at rosefam3@sbcglobal.net.