“When you’re a kid, parents always tell you sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you. To me that’s not true. Words hurt, and words turn up to threats and threats turn up to physical violence.” Taylor Alesana, like many transgender teens, was made to feel uncomfortable at school and in society. She spoke about it on her popular YouTube channel before taking her life on April 2, 2015.
Taylor was 16.
Transgender Americans face some of the worst examples of discrimination and violence in our nation. It is widely reported that nearly 45% of all transgender individuals have attempted suicide (although accurate rates may be much higher when accounting for those who may have lived in secret).
We can all do better. We can be accepting and kind to people of all genders. We can demand that conversion therapy be outlawed and deemed abuse. We can demand equal protections for ALL peoples.
#ARTTOENDVIOLENCE
#TransLivesMatter
Filed under: Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Life, Storytelling Tagged: #translivesmatter, art, gay, LGBT, news, portrait, suicide, teen, trans, transgender, watercolor
