Trans teen loses out on homecoming queen, but wins her classmates’ hearts
A teenager in the US has lost out on becoming her county’s first out trans homecoming queen.
Although she has received plenty of support from friends and family, Violet Ri says it has not always been easy.
The 17-year-old had hoped to become the San Ysdiro High School’s homecoming queen.
“I’m pretty nervous, to be honest,” the teen from San Diego County told 10News on Friday.
She started her transition in summer 2014, and joined the cheer club.
It was the club that nominated her for homecoming queen, and she later found out she was one of five finalists, as voted on by seniors at the school.
However at the halftime of Friday night’s football game, the winner was announced, and it was not Violet.
After it was announced that she was not successful, however, Violet’s cheer club teammates cheered “we are proud of you”.
She was also tweeted by dozens of supporters.
Speaking before the announcement, Ri said she felt like she had already won through finding acceptance.
Four trans teens have taken their own lives in the county this year.
For other transgender youth, Ri said: “It truly does get better. I’ve had worse days before and I’m here; [It] only gets better from here.”
@Violet Ri loses bid to be #SanYsidro High’s 1st transgender homecoming queen.But she’s won schoolmates hearts #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/rXFNpY9VZT
— Omari Fleming (@OmariNBCSD) November 7, 2015
