Really, things had been going pretty well.
Smith College opens its doors to transgender women.
A Utah school selected a transgender prom queen
The New York Times started their Transgender Project
OSHA partners with NCTE re: transgender worker safety
Even Hillary Clinton makes transgender immigrants a campaign issue
I don’t think we should, you know, put children and vulnerable people into big detention facilities because I think they are at risk. I think their physical and mental health are at risk.
--Clinton
It couldn't last, I guess.
Cameron Langrell was 15 and attending Horlick High School in Racine, WI when she posted to facebook his coming out as transgender. She also wrote that he was dating a boy. And she changed her profile gender to female.
A few days later Cameron was dead.
Last Thursday his mother Jamie Olender and stepfather Eric Olender returned to their home to discover that Cameron had committed suicide in the basement.
There were absolutely zero warning signs. He busted out all the lights and his intent was clear.
--Jamie Olender
The Olenders say Cameron loved to play the piano, loved to dance, loved to sing...and was set to join the school choir for next year. Cameron would have loved to be a high school cheerleader...and also to try out for American Idol.
He was always bullied for being feminine. We told him to be who you are.
--Jamie Olender, who hadn't had time to get used to the pronoun thing
Ever since he was very little, we knew Cameron felt differently. He used to dance, twirl, sing and was all about that kind of attention. His brother would be in a football game and he would try to get people to notice his dance routine.
--Jamie
Mrs. Olender said that bullying was taking a toll on Cameron. His grades were slipping because he was skipping school to avoid being bullied.
The bullying also happened online.
His parents talked with the school advisers last month to try to find a solution, but when Cameron was reportedly skipping school, Jamie Olender said no phone calls ever came.
Stacy Tapp, spokesperson for the Racine Unified School District, said the district is doing everything it can to help in light of Cameron’s death.
We are heartbroken over the loss of Cameron and we are doing everything we can to support our Horlick High School family. We have programs across the district, at every age level for students.
--Stacy Tapp. district spokesperson
The Olenders are celebrating Cameron's life at their home on Saturday afternoon.
This is apparently the third suicide at Horlick in the past year, all said to be the result of bullying. Two of those students were transgender. 14-year old Lexi Lopez took her own life in December.