Rose kept a secret from nearly all of her high school classmates when she accepted her diploma in May.
Most knew the DeKalb County teenager as Thomas, a student who loves literature and was part of the Governor’s Honors Program. Close friends and family know her as Rose, a transgender student, born a male but identifying as female, who concealed her gender identity throughout high school.
“I felt like this (diploma) is being given to this ghost that everyone is forced to believe in,” she said, referring to “Thomas” listed on the diploma.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently interviewed several Georgia student to get a glimpse of life as a transgender student. They told stories of isolation, fear and demeaning questions and comments from classmates. But they also spoke hopefully that recent federal guidelines to allow transgender students to use restrooms that fit their gender identity will make life easier for them and others.
To read more about Rose's experience and other transgender students, as well as the backlash to the federal government's recent transgender school bathroom policy, click here.
About the Author
