This trans 14-year-old wrote a coming out letter to her entire school
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A transgender 14-year-old has opened up about why she decided to write a coming out letter to her entire school.
Gia has been aware of her gender identity since a young age and decided that it was finally time to transition in eighth grade so she could stop keeping secrets.
“I figured I’ve already been hiding for 13 years and if I transitioned in a new school I’d just be keeping another secret,” she told People. “So I decided to write a letter to my entire school.”
The teen, who founded GenderCool, a programme which aims to raise the visibility of trans teens, explained that she wanted to “give everybody time to think and reflect” on her trans identity before they saw her for the first time as a girl.
“The letter just said this is how I’ve been feeling for the past 13 years and that I will be coming out to school in what society says is girls clothes and I’ll be identifying with she/her pronouns.
“I didn’t want to just go out into my school and surprise everybody,” she said.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The letter, and coming out, has completely changed her life for the better.
“I was very nervous because this is something I’ve been hiding for 13 years. it was my biggest secret and only a couple of people knew,” Gia explained.
Despite thinking she wouldn’t be accepted, Gia received an onslaught of support.
“I was very surprised to see that they were supportive OF me. I felt before I was constantly hiding,” she said. “I feel like I’ve been able to open up and blossom more.”
Since coming out over a year ago, Gia had settled into high school and developed a close friend group she didn’t have before.
“Being transgender is just one part of you and there’s so much more to the inside of someone,” she explained.
The teenager is completely settled in her school, and one day hopes to become a school principal herself.
“So many people have been supportive now,” she added. “This is a decision that I definitely do not regret and I think it’s only done good for me.”
