Sharing the Stories of LGBT Youth: Jaydee, 16, From Bellevue, Neb.

[Shana A]

Diana Scholl and Laurel Golio

Sharing the Stories of LGBT Youth: Jaydee, 16, From Bellevue, Neb. (PHOTO)
Posted: 01/22/2013 4:55 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-scholl/lgbt-youth_b_2488436.html

We Are the Youth is a photographic journalism project chronicling the individual stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the United States. Through photographic portraits and "as told to" interviews in the participants' own voices, We Are the Youth captures the incredible diversity and uniqueness among the LGBT youth population. We Are the Youth addresses the lack of visibility of LGBT young people by providing a space to share stories in an honest and respectful way. Below is the story of Jaydee.
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By Jaydee, as told to Diana Scholl

I switched schools because of bullying. There was a lot of harassment and people calling me a lot of names: "->-bleeped-<-," "dyke," "->-bleeped-<-." Nobody would do much about it, even my principal. I was like, "Screw this. I might as well go to a different school."

    There's more LGBT-friendly people at this school. I'm the only trans kid at school. It kind of gives me a little more pressure. What people see from me they kind of expect from other trans people. At the same time, it's pretty awesome. I feel like I have to set an example in a way.