Transgender teen says homecoming-queen dream is 'bigger than me'

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-transgender-student-campaigns-for-homecoming-queen-at-marina-high-20130919,0,1125103.story
9/19/13
By Adolfo Flores

On Friday, a high school transgender senior in Huntington Beach will learn whether she will become one of five finalists for homecoming queen.

It's a quest that first swept through Cassidy Campbell's mind last year, but she pushed the impulse aside. It would just be a joke, she told herself.

Now the senior sees it as a chance to make a statement.

At Marina High's homecoming pep rally Friday, the field of 10 homecoming queen candidates will be narrowed to five. Hours later, the queen will be crowned at the school's football game.

California teen named nation's first transgender homecoming queen

Yahoo News
by Eric Pfeiffer

In what is being described as the first known event of its kind, a transgendered teen was named as her high school's homecoming queen on Friday.

"I am so proud to win this not just for me, but everyone out there," 16-year-old Cassidy Campbell said after receiving her crown during the halftime of Marina High's homecoming football game Friday night in Huntington Beach, CA....

Leading up to the selection, Cassidy had been insistent that she hoped her effort would raise awareness and support for other transgendered teens.

"If I win, it would mean that the school recognizes me as the gender I always felt I was," Cassidy said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times . "But with all the attention, I realized it's bigger than me," she said. "I'm doing this for the kids who can't be themselves."

Full article at the link

Quote from: Jamie D on September 21, 2013, 10:42:15 AM
California teen named nation's first transgender homecoming queen

Yahoo News
by Eric Pfeiffer

In what is being described as the first known event of its kind, a transgendered teen was named as her high school's homecoming queen on Friday.

"I am so proud to win this not just for me, but everyone out there," 16-year-old Cassidy Campbell said after receiving her crown during the halftime of Marina High's homecoming football game Friday night in Huntington Beach, CA....

Leading up to the selection, Cassidy had been insistent that she hoped her effort would raise awareness and support for other transgendered teens.

"If I win, it would mean that the school recognizes me as the gender I always felt I was," Cassidy said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times . "But with all the attention, I realized it's bigger than me," she said. "I'm doing this for the kids who can't be themselves."

Full article at the link

I read the story and it's great! This would have NEVER happened back when I was in high school in the 90s. I'm truly amazed.

Then I made the mistake of reading the comments section and now my stomach hurts...

The comments sections are always a problem.

Transgender Teen Crowned Homecoming Queen Wipes Away Tears: 'I Can't Even Be Happy'

By ALEXIS SHAW | Good Morning America

The first transgender teen at a Huntington Beach, Calif., high school to be named homecoming queen broke down crying in a YouTube video after what was supposed to be her "happiest day" was marred by criticism, she said.

In a video posted on her YouTube account Saturday, Cassidy Lynn Campbell said that earning the title of homecoming queen was supposed to be "so monumental and memorable." But the "ignorant" and "negative" backlash that followed her win had turned a bright day dark.

"I'm always judged and I'm always looked down upon and I'm always made fun of," she said. "Sometimes, I wonder, is it even worth it?"

Full article at the link

My comment:  This is very sad.  There are so many ignorant and hurtful people out there.  I wish Cassidy would come here and find out how very admired she really is.

To be honest I found the comments to be what I expected.

I am going to say something which may upset my USA friends. It is not aimed at you at all.

But sadly racial, sexual, gender intolerance is something that the USA has a reputation for. The Land of the Free is so often the Land of the Bigot. It saddens me that such a great country has fostered people who wear pillow cases over their heads and burn crosses, churches and people, based on their colour.

It saddens me that being homosexual was seen as sick and HIV was seen as god's punishment to cleanse the evil from the world.

It saddens me that it is a country of church going 'religious' people who have no concept of Christ's teaching.

I have a  strong feeling that if Christ was reborn in the USA he would suffer the same fate as he did on his first coming. And the Pharisees would be holding Bibles and crucifying in the name of gods they have no concept of.

Is it because the bigots make the loudest noise? Like empty vessels rattling in the cellar of humanity?

I read threads from people here of how they are, or have been treated and shake my head in sorrow.

I live in a tough country where manliness and sport and aggressiveness is regarded as the norm.

I have never been insulted or harassed, and it isn't because I'm anything special, I don't recall a single Aussie man or woman on this site describing the hostility that people face in the USA.

No, I'm not saying Aussies are anything special either. We have racial vilification, try being an Aboriginal in Australia to find out what that means! But to be honest that is also changing, our society is being guided by government to grow up as humans.

There seems to be a lack of will to face societal change in the USA. I do not understand why.

I love Americans, my wife is from the USA, my closest friends are from the USA, I have very very close relationships with many people here and I will not embarrass them by naming them.

But sometimes I despair of how America functions, I often think it doesn't, it stumbles.

I cringe when USA leaders and USA citizens are critical of other countries records in human rights.

I cry when a 16 yr old girl is publicly insulted over something that would make her happy and her friends proud.

Sorry for the rant

Cindy

Cindy, I couldn't agree more. I think it is because of the first amendment right to free speech; we are allowed to say pretty much anything we want (which is a good thing), but it gets messed up when the uneducatedgets fed hateful misinformation that says X is an attack on their beliefs and way of life.  We need to invest a lot more in education here so people have the ability to think for themselves, unfortunately, politicians here like people to be stupid, and the tea party is too focused on slashing spending to want to divert any funds to help their kids.

Well said, Cindy! I, too, love the States, have lived there, worked there and travelled right across the country from sea to shining sea ... and it saddens me so much to see the amount of ignorance, intolerance and dumb-assed cruelty revealed by the response to what should be a sweet, inspiring story.

There is an old proverb that goes "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win the world is for enough good men to do nothing."  Our USA news reporting is stuck with the very few good people who do something, and must give equal time to the "not-so-loyal opposition" who are more vocal and insistant that their minority power should terrorize a majority.  "The weak are terrible when they pretend to strength" is another proverb that fits much of the so hate that people like Cassidy endure in trying to be ordinary humans.  I really think she has far more people who love and admire her than who curse her, but they are not out there making the headlines.  We do get things bass ackwards over here, damn it.

For transgender homecoming queen, a crowning achievement

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-0922-transgender-homecoming-20130922,0,4645022.story

By Kurt Streeter
September 21, 2013

When Cassidy Lynn Campbell woke up on Saturday morning she ambled to her bedroom mirror and took a long, astonished look at herself.

"I was just thinking, what happened last night, what happened?" said the brown-haired 16-year-old. "It's so crazy that I actually won."

On Friday night Cassidy was named homecoming queen at Marina High in Huntington Beach, an event that wouldn't normally get much attention if not for a single fact: Cassidy was born a boy but now lives as a transgender girl.

----------

OK, Suzi here. I have such mixed feelings about this article.

On the one hand, it's great that trans girls are given these opportunities. It takes a lot of courage for a teen to be willing to stand out and absorb the publicity. And I can't fault the reporting. The pronouns were correct, and the didn't feel the need to discuss anyone's surgical status.

On the other hand...

It troubles me that this even is news. The article admits that the single newsworthy part of the whole story is the birth sex of its subject. Why is a transgender girl being elected homecoming queen remarkable? She is a girl. She's obviously popular enough to get the votes. So why should it be a headline?

I'm trying to be happy about it, but why can't I shake the notion that we are still, in 2013, being looked upon as a freak show? Or as lesser beings whose accomplishments merit headlines on account of their rarity, while similar accomplishments are not so remarkable among cis gender folk?

As in, "Well look at that. One of those people could actually get elected homecoming queen. Well I'll be. I though they were all walking the streets or in psych hospitals."

Do these questions trouble anyone else?

Cindy, living in the US, I agree with you. It is our right that causes this problem :freedom of speech, of press. They are both double edged swords, and the sharpest edge always hits the.minority. We say we don't want discrimination, but allowing people to say things without punishment isn't progress. I could walk up to a stranger and call everyone in their family all the names I can think of, but I can't get in trouble for it unless I physically hurt them. Amazing, right?
I can even print stories in a publication about an entire family, and it may not be seen as legitimate, bit I can still print it without fear. This is why freedom comes at a price. Its not taxes, the.minorities pay for it. If you don't believe me, look at the Zimmerman case ...

Interesting 'freedom of speech' is touted as a reason for hate to be said and published. We have freedom of speech also, the USA is not alone in freedom of speech or of the press. What we do not have is freedom of vilification, articles and speech which vilify others are taken to court and Justice decides if a persons rights are being wronged.

We cannot incite violence - that is a crime; why? because it removes the rights of the victims.

I do understand the difficultly the USA faces, but I suspect that the major difficulty is the lack of will by your leaders (or the lack of leaders, common to both countries may I add) to change societal law to match modern day conditions. The parallel with biblical teachings is stunning, you can crucify people based on what is in the Bible and then some libertarians will say, 'Oh we should not interpret the Bible literally it was written thousand of years ago'. However you will not face changes to the constitution in the light of modern society and technology, when it seems clear that the Constitution was a reflection of the times when it was written.

BTW I'm not picking a fight with anyone here!! I know I'm talking to people who are aware of the situation.

As to the publication of articles regarding the young woman, I do have problems with them. We are having a professional debate at the moment  as to whether treating physicians should allow trans*gender children to be named and viewed on TV or magazine articles. There is a clear opinion that by allowing minors to do so , with the blessing of their parents BTW, that they are damaging their chances of normal life and development, there is a rising professional opinion that we should protect them from that.

As someone said if a trans*woman publishes the story of her life she will forever be known as a trans*woman.
I certainly do not regard myself as a trans*woman. I have the legal and moral right to be treated as who I am; a woman in modern Australian society with the full rights and privileges that all women in our society enjoy.

Cindy

Speaking from some one who has been posting and witnessing online postings in the "comments section" for nearly 15 years, I can assure you that over 90% of the idiots and uneducated cowards do 100% of their talking in the comments sections of online stories and forums, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice this.

I actually live in Huntington beach and know the culture here and was a little shocked at the amount of positivity the original story portrayed but naturally was brought back down to earth after reading such ignorant comments. But I can only give the highest praise and appreciation for the courage that Cassidy has displayed. What a perfect woman to represent what ->-bleeped-<- really is all about.  I'm sure it's only a matter of time until run into her around town.

Quote from: Cindy on September 23, 2013, 05:14:30 AM
To be honest I found the comments to be what I expected.

I am going to say something which may upset my USA friends. It is not aimed at you at all.

Eh... Speaking as an American it's hard to feel offended, Cindy, when it's the truth.

Quote from: suzifrommd on September 23, 2013, 04:56:42 PM
As in, "Well look at that. One of those people could actually get elected homecoming queen. Well I'll be. I though they were all walking the streets or in psych hospitals."

Do these questions trouble anyone else?

My first thought when I heard that she won was, "it's really sad that this is national news in 2013." So I don't think you're alone

But the truth is, it is remarkable in the U.S. that a trans person accomplishes something that many people kinda shrug and go on with their day over. It's just that difficult and unlikely for us to accomplish something like becoming homecoming queen. For similar reasons I somewhat worry about winding up on the news when I start teaching, not because I'm a very devoted person to education, or because by then I'll have probably graduated with honors, or because I've come up with any revolutionary ideas for the field of art education ... but just because of being Transgender.

I know people are going to think that's an amazing achievement, and I know other people are going to be screaming for my head when I finally do it. And I know that because of how America is, I'm probably going to have to fight tooth and nail to keep my job, and justify nearly everything I do publicly, and on and on and on ... In short I'm going to have to work a lot harder just because I'm trans. It's not right, it's not fair, and it's going to make life a lot harder for me and I'm going to probably have to do it with at least local media standing out front of my school, and, since I live in the mid west, probably get to deal with the Westborough Baptist Church too.

And the entire time I know what I'm going to be thinking: There's zero reason in the 21st century for this to merit any kind of attention. But it does and it will continue to do so for some time just because we're rare, misunderstood, and down right hated by a good chunk of the population, and those things sell newspapers.

Or rather in the 21st century, up the amount of people reading the news on line.

Quote from: Matthieu on September 24, 2013, 12:22:28 AM
What a perfect woman to represent what ->-bleeped-<- really is all about.  I'm sure it's only a matter of time until run into her around town.

I agree! I am proud of her for standing up and being herself. ...despite my comment about how it shouldn't be news worthy, I'll also say that in this day and age being trans is just down right difficult and she has no idea how happy we are for her and proud we are of her for just doing something as simple as being herself in front of everyone. If you see her, tell her there's a whole bunch of people who look up to her who say hello!

I saw this story in the news and saw the video of Cassidy, such a well spoken beautiful young lady!

Against my better judgement I read some of the comments, grrrr!! I just want to be a big sis to her and protect her from such hate!

I am also proud that her being a homecoming queen is even possible for a 16 year old these days, when I was 16 that was so not the case back in "those" years! we would have been sent to counselors, reprogramming, detention and worse till we "started thinking straight"

You Go Girl Cassidy!!!

Here's an interesting cross-cultural comparison. A model called Nicole Gibson recently walked the runway at London Fashion Week. Like Cassidy, she is transsexual. Like the LA Times, the media were very careful to report her story respectfully: it was universally shown to be a good thing - someone triumphing over tough circumstances to achieve success and happiness.

One of the papers that covered the story was the Daily Mail. As anyone in the UK will tell you, the Mail is always regarded as being very right-wing by British standards - though that's not remotely as right-wing as the Tea Party or Fox news, let alone the Christian Right. So you might think its readers would react negatively to a story about a transsexual ...

Well, one of the Mail's online stories about Nicole attracted 129 comments. The vast majority were positive. And the more positive they were, the more other readers liked them. So the highest-rated comment, with 767 likes (and 'only' 150 dislikes) was simply, 'She looks beautiful!'

I've got to say it makes me proud to think that the average Brit reacts so generously and so positively to a story such as Nicole's.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2423511/Transgender-catwalk-model-born-man-says-just-sex-change-stars-London-Fashion-Week.html

Sometimes I'm so embarrassed by the "ugly American" as they are called, that pertains more to attitude than it's does looks of course.

Quote from: Michelle G on September 25, 2013, 11:34:37 AM
Sometimes I'm so embarrassed by the "ugly American" as they are called, that pertains more to attitude than it's does looks of course.

What I don't understand is how those people who have been so cruel to a girl like Cassidy can share the same country with all the kind, generous, hospitable, intelligent, imaginative, tolerant Americans I'm proud to call my friends. Because I know lots of you guys ... and I've lived and worked in the States ... and it's just really hard to reconcile the America I know and love with the sick underbelly that is revealed time and again when women on Susan's talk about the prejudice and intolerance they face every day.

The bully projects their insecurities onto others. Let us pray for them for they are in darkness and cannot find the light.

Cassidy Lynn Campbell, Transgender Homecoming Queen, Poses For 'NOH8' Campaign
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/27/cassidy-lynn-campbell-noh8_n_4004877.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices
Author: James Nichols Source: Huffington Post

The day after taking home the crown [. . .] Campbell posted a [. . .] tearful video online telling viewers that she [. . .] had been the victim of an immense amount of bullying and criticism since her win. In response, the young queen received an outpouring of support, including an invitation from "NOH8" photographer Adam Bouska to take part in the campaign.

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I am glad she's finding some support since the negativity she endured after her win.