Bulletin Board

Evolve! Counseling Program at YouthPride

YouthPride (YP) expands its services by offering its members free individual, couples, and group counseling in a non-judgmental and confidential environment. The Evolve! Counseling Program also offers counseling or referrals to members' families and offers workshops to the public. Counseling is provided on site by licensed practitioners or a counseling intern. Evolve! will provide other social services like help and referrals for youth struggling with homelessness.

To find out more information about the Evolve! Counseling Program and other services, call Tana Hall at (404) 521-9713 ext. 207 or email letstalk@youthpride.org.

YP Member Addresses

The 2008 Atlanta HRC Dinner

Good evening everyone. Isn't this fabulous! I am so stoked to be here tonight and I get to wear this wonderfully gorgeous gown. My name is Jordan and I am a 16 year old woman.

I would say that I am an all American girl. I like to shop, go to Starbuck's (my fav), gossip and hang with the girls. There is only one thing that is different. I am a transgender woman. Now don't everyone talk at once!

It is difficult being a transgender teen. I came out a couple of years ago. I told my family and friends and they were amazingly supportive. Of course at first they had their frustations and doubts, but eventually they learned to accept me for the beautiful woman I've become.

But don't get me wrong. It has been a long and difficult road to feeling fierce! I did decide to leave high school. One of the reasons was people's ignorance. In classes I got teased constantly. People called me names right to my face, with no hesitation. I heard everything. Fag, stupid trany, crossdresser,
freak, just to name a few. The worst part was that I told my teachers and they did nothing. They just turned a blind eye! It made me feel terrible that people would say these cruel things.

Being in high school AND being transgender is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. When I did attend school, I got bullied EVERY SINGLE DAY! And when I did tell someone, it didn't make any difference. Do you know what that's like? It's horrible. But I didn't give up! I am currently studying to get my GED.

Just a few months ago I got bashed for being transgender. I was walking home one night from a friends house and I was taking a short cut through a small area of woods by my subdivision. Two guys came from out of nowhere and attacked me. One guy threw me on the ground and started choking me and the other guy started kicking me all over. I was
defenseless.

Through all this they were saying hurtful things like, "You're going to Hell"," You Fag", "I hope you die". I was terrified for my life. Even though it lasted maybe 2 or 3 minutes, it felt like forever. I really thought I was going to die that night.

Then a kind lady came out on her porch and saw what was happening and yelled for them to get away from me and they took off running. I thank God for that lady and thank God that I'm here today to tell my story.

After all that had happened, I was scarred both physically and mentally. I didn't want to leave my house, or do anything. I was scared and depressed. At that point, I actually realized that people can't be themselves, either transgender, gay, lesbian, or however they identify. But we should all be able to be who we are!

Eventually, I got back to feeling fabulous. I just said, "Hey, why should I let other people's anger take me down?" The worst part is that those two guys have not been found yet. But I am a stronger and better person because of that incident.

In a perfect world, everyone would be accepted regardless of who they are or what they want to be. I think each and every one of you can help with that. You CAN make a better tomorrow for each of us.

I want to live my life as a woman and get treated with dignity and respect regardless of where I am -- walking down the street, at school or at work.