We’ve come along way and are able to live in a time where we are learning more and more about how to be inclusive and respectful of all of the different ways in which people live their lives.
Our kids are being exposed to different types of families, individuals, and terms that even as an adult, is difficult to get used to.
Every day offers a new opportunity to learn and to be respectful of others’ beliefs and ways of life, however, unfortunately, in a new case that has come to light out, an intolerance of a boy’s identity has led him to lose his life.
In a sad incident, there has been a report that a young transgender student from the UK took his own life after his school refused to acknowledge his name.
The student, Leo Etherington, had attended an all-girls grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
After Etherington announced his status as a transgendered male, the school refused to allow Etherington to go by his preferred name of Leo.
Reports say that the school told Leo that he could not be called “Leo” until he reached the age of 16.
The school cited legality, saying that at the age of 15, Leo would be allowed to officially and legally change his name, at which point they would honor the name change.
Etherington killed himself by hanging at the home he shared with his father, Martin.
The Father is said to have thought that Etherington was actually studying for exams in his room and discovered that his son was gone when it was already too late.
Martin described how the boy had transitioned in 2016 and began presenting as a male. Both Etherington and his father had attended sessions at a gender identity clinic and in support of his son, the Dad had agreed to fund his transition surgery. Etherington had the support of both his family as well as a loving network of friends as he transitioned.
The 15-year-old’s school, however, was not so supportive of the matter.
Martin revealed that the boy had been troubled by the school’s decision to not honor his transition, refusing to call Etherington by his chosen name of Leo.
But the school’s action since Leo’s death has come to light is even more troubling, as they are clearly still not regretting how they treated him.
The school’s head teacher, Sharon Cromie, has used Le’s previous female-oriented name, Louise, when releasing a statement about his death
“Louise was a wonderful person in every way and is missed by us all,” she wrote. It seems a bit shocking and disturbing in every way that even after a drastic action such as suicide, the school is still refusing to see how serious of an issue gender identity is and how deeply a name can affect an individual in transition.
Etherington put a description of himself on his Facebook page as a singing ukulele player who makes YouTube videos and also lives on social media.
What do you think of the schools actions?