Suicide in trans ppl due largely to external factors

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brynn-tan ... 64834.html

Thank you, for posting that link. As Brynn said, Leelah was right; we need to fix society. Also, I like that every point she makes (summary below) is backed with citations - even though you would think it's all common sense.

- Rejection by friends and family increases suicide risk
- Discrimination increases suicide risk
- Physical abuse increases suicide risk
- Being seen as transgender or gender non-conforming increases suicide risk
- Internalized transphobia increases suicide risk
- Intersecting minority identities increases suicide risk

From the article: "Notice a pattern here? None of these risks for suicide are about being transgender. They're about what is being done to transgender people. And therein lies the rub. There's nothing inherently wrong with being transgender. There is something horribly, horribly wrong with the way we as a culture treat transgender people."

Funny thing is, the only people who are really pushing the message that trans people should intentionally be treated poorly are those with something to gain, and it's usually money or perceived personal power/ego. Here in the USA that would primarily be GOP/TP politicians, certain non-profits, and the leaders of Southern Baptists, Catholics and the pastors of a host of one-church congregations. Ironic, given the Christian namesake's teachings of love and inclusion.

On the bright side, there are signs of progress. For instance you'll find that as long as you stay away from the ultra-conservative parts of Southern California & the Central Valley, most everyday people are far more accepting and nonchalant about trans people here.