Can we accept the Trans Youth?

Did anyone grab the am New York this morning?  There is an article inside discussing trans youth and their usage of black market hormones.  I read this article and I was happy that someone has taken the time to address our community with something so serious.  The short article covers many important issues that our community is already aware of but many heterosexual people ignore. 

The most important thing covered in the article is the lack of acceptance that trans youth receive from their parents.  Many trans youth are runaways.  In general, trans youth do not have the best health coverage.  With the disconnect between the youth and their parents, trans youth are left to rely on black market hormones or hand-me-down hormones from friends going through similar struggles.  With parents disowning their child's lifestyle, they help to hinder then from receiving proper guidance health wise.  The article states that the earlier that the youth receives counseling, and treatment, the less anxiety the trans youth goes through at an older age. 

Reading this article opened my eyes to how fortunate some of us are.  We really don't see the struggle that the other memebers of our community endure.  Everyone has their own personal struggle.  Everyone has their story.  We all endure a different type of pain.  While the articles main focus wasn't about parents disowning their children, I made this my main focus.  The affect that acceptance has on the youth is very strong.  Parental acceptance elliminates 90% of the issues that we all have went through and and continue to go through as a growing community.

What we have been seeing a lot of is the Transgender community making an appearance on TV.  From The Real World, to P Diddy's apprentice style show to America's Next Top Model.  People are recognizing us more and more yet, it is still taboo in the trans youths' household.

Anyway, read the article.  Leave your thoughts.  am NEW YORK article

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