A cold Ohio Christmas holds no cheer for the Alcorn family nor the transgendered community. On the night of December 29th, 2014 transgender Leelah (Joshua) Alcorn queues two posts to her tumblr account a leaves her house for a walk. Only a few moments later she intentionally jumps in front of a semi truck committing suicide.

The queued posts pop up on the tumblr account lazerprincess. A suicide note and an apology to the people closest to Alcorn.

Alcorn had known since the age of five that she was a girl trapped in a boy’s body. She finally had a name for it at the age of 14: transgender. What she lacked, however, was support.

Her parents responded by saying that this was a phase and put Alcorn into Christian based therapy sessions. These sessions did nothing to help Alcorn’s depression and further made her feel isolated.

“[My mom] telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that I’m wrong… so I never got the therapy I needed to cure my depression. I only got more Christians telling me that I was selfish and wrong and that I should look to God for help,” Alcorn said in her suicide note.

The lack of understanding or acceptance for Alcorn’s identity and death became apparent in her mother’s response to the incident on social media.

“My sweet 16 year old son, Joshua Ryan Alcorn went home to heaven this morning. He was out for an early morning walk and was hit by a truck. Thank you for the messages and kindness and concern you have sent our way. Please keep us in your prayers,” Carla Alcorn, said in a facebook post on December 30, 2014.

Alcorn was denied the care and understanding she so desperately needed from her family and community that ultimately led to her tragic death.

The posts and story of Leelah Alcorn have spread like wildfire across the internet and transgender communities. Alcorn is viewed as a martyr and example of the discrimination towards transgender individuals and an inspiration to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trandsgender +, movement. She has become a symbol of the need for support and widespread education of transgender across the board.

A large fundraiser for LGBT+ support groups was started in response to Alcorn’s desire to spread help and awareness. A movement has begun.

“As for my will, I want 100% of my things that I legally own to be sold and the money (plus my money in the bank) to be given to trans civil rights movements and support groups… The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year… Fix it society. Please,” Leelah Alcorn said.

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