Leelah Alcorn: Auckland march in support of trans teens

3 News 10 January 2015
Hundreds of Kiwis are expected to march today in support of a trans teen who took her own life after being told she would “never truly be a girl”.

Supporters will march down Queen St in Auckland in memory of Leelah Alcorn, 17, who died late last year in Ohio.

Prior to her death, Leelah wrote a suicide note and published it to her Tumblr blog. The note has since gained widespread media attention.

Although the incident happened in the United States, Transgender Rights March organiser Eva Allan says New Zealand’s socially progressive society could lead the charge to see gender identity talk implemented in schools.

“I couldn’t look at Leelah’s suicide note without thinking ‘I need to do something, I need to do whatever I can to make sure the such a tragedy doesn’t happen again’,” says Ms Allan.

“Although Leelah was American, there are transgender people all over the world and all of us are at risk.
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