This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Krano (talk | contribs) at 22:48, 30 December 2014 (Filled in 3 bare reference(s) with User:Zhaofeng Li/Reflinks (65c7188)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 22:48, 30 December 2014 by Krano (talk | contribs) (Filled in 3 bare reference(s) with User:Zhaofeng Li/Reflinks (65c7188))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) | This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Please feel free to improve this article (but edits without reliable references may be removed) or discuss changes on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Leelah Alcorn | |
|---|---|
 Leelah Alcorn in 2014 | |
| Born | (1997-11-15)November 15, 1997 |
| Died | December 28, 2014(2014-12-28) (aged 17) Lebanon, Ohio, USA |
| Nationality | American |
Leelah Alcorn (November 15, 1997 – December 28, 2014) was an American transgender girl who rose to attention in 2014 after committing suicide. A suicide note was published on her Tumblr page; in this letter she declared that she wanted her suicide to cause an impact and create a dialogue about the discrimination and abuse of transgender people.
Life
Leelah was born in November 1997 to parents Doug and Carla Alcorn and one of four children, Alcorn was raised in an Evangelical Christian environment in which her gender identity was considered to be sinful. In an apparent suicide note she referred to herself as Leelah Alcorn, the name by which she is now most well known.
According to her suicide note, Alcorn identified as a transgender female from age 14, when she became aware of the term, having experienced gender dysphoria since she was four. Alcorn subsequently came out online, and turned primarily towards the internet for friendship. She attempted to convince her parents that she had to medically transition, but claims she instead received reparative therapy.
The note also describes Alcorn's coming out as gay at age 16, hoping it would be a stepping stone to coming out as transgender at a later date. She writes that she was instead taken out of school by her parents and cut off from the outside world for five months. She described this as a large contributing factor towards her suicide.
Death
Police told news sources that Alcorn was walking southbound on I-71 near Union Township when she was struck by a semi-trailer. She died at the scene. It is believed that Alcorn walked three to four miles from her parents' house in nearby Kings Mill, Ohio, before being struck. The driver has not been charged with a crime.
References
- ^ Alcorn, Leelah. "Suicide Note". Tumblr. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- "Transgender teen struck and killed on Ohio interstate in apparent suicide". LGBTQ Nation.
- "Teen Killed By Semi While Walking on I-71". 700WLW.
- http://www.fox19.com/story/27717471/pedestrian-struck-killed-on-i-71/
- WCPO Staff. "Joshua Alcorn, Kings Mill teen killed on I-71, remembered as 'sweet, talented'". WCPO.