Transgender Youth Worth Talking About

Amanda Valentine Dela Cruz September 13, 2024

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No statement could be more real than the song lyrics of Whitney Houston’s hit song The Greatest Love of All. The first stanza starts with the immortal words “I believe the children are our future.”

Well, true to what she believed in, the children will indeed shape the future. Luckily, trans individuals are getting a lot of visibility and acceptance in today’s times. It is up to the transgender youth to follow suit and improve this movement.

Today, we’re going to introduce you to the world’s transgender teenagers that are visible and changing the world through art, business, entertainment, trans issues, and more.

Grace Dolan-Sandrino

She is a transgender teen who uses her voice and platform to empower LGBTQ+ youth through writing and peer education. She’s the co-founder of the Gender and Orientation Alliance and Youth Blackout DC.

The Afro-Latina teen had her works published in The Washington Post, Common Dreams, and Teen Vogue. During Obama’s presidential term, she served as the government’s ambassador to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

Grace Dolan-Sandrino on Instagram

Elliot Page

If you’re paying monthly for a Netflix subscription, you probably know or have watched the hit TV show Stranger Things. Elliot is one of the main stars of the show and he shocked the world when he came out as a transgender boy in 2020.

Not only did he reveal the truth but he was also proud of his gender identity. In one of his interviews, he said,

I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better. Thank you for reading this. All my love, Elliot.

Zoey Luna

The AB-1266 Pupil rights in California aims to prohibit public schools from discriminating on the basis of specified characteristics, including gender, gender identity, and gender expression, and specifies various statements of legislative intent and the policies of the state in that regard.

When Zoey was just 13 years old, she used her voice and championed passing the law. She’s also known for the documentaries Raising Zoey and 15: A Quinceanera Story by HBO.

Ryan Jacobs Flores

Transitioning, especially medically transitioning into another gender doesn’t come easy. One must possess knowledge, experience, and veritable information to go through it. That’s why young transgenders, especially trans-masculine individuals need to follow Ryan.

He shares his journey, self-administering of hormones, and more, on his YouTube account which has over 80,000 subscribers. Along with hormone replacement therapy and surgery are snippets of his relatable life as a male transgender teen.

Kim Petras

When it comes to the music industry, Kim Petras is making waves. She’s the first openly transgender singer to achieve a top 100 Billboard Hit with her collaboration song Unholy with Sam Smith. But she didn’t start spreading awareness by being a hitmaker.

Before she turned 18, her transition was documented heavily by the German media. It talked about her daily life as a trans teen and shared her gender reassignment surgery journey.

During an Insider interview, she shared,

In my career, I chose not to talk about being transgender in the beginning, ’cause I wanted my music to do something itself, and it did—I feel like I’ve really proven myself as a songwriter—Now, I’m down to be transgender however I want and talk about it as much as I want.

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Victor Langlois

The 18-year-old transgender man made a monumental feat when he was able to sell his digital art series. He was able to rake in 2.16 million dollars for his crypto NFT art called “Hello, I’m Victor (FEWOCiOUS) and This Is My Life.”

It was presented in the famous auction called Christie’s in New York. His art captures the moments of his transition from female to male between the ages of 14 and 18. Along with the NFT video artwork were physical paintings and a collection of doodles that were physical and digital along with journal entries.

Rebekah Bruesehoff

Just like Avery, she started transitioning at a very young age—seven. After seeking help from pediatricians, gender specialists, and supportive parents, she was able to live as a girl. Currently, she is one of the strongest voices of transgender youth.

In one of her interviews, she shared,

I feel way more happier now that I know who I am—I feel me.

Jazz Jennings

Albeit being 22 years old and not a teen anymore, her highly televised transition journey when she was a kid opened many doors for transgender youth. She was able to inspire many parents to take their children’s gender dysphoria more seriously.

Now, still young and quite active in supporting the transgender movement, she’s one of the most prominent trans personalities in the world. She also co-founded the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation. Its aim is to assist transgender youth.

Brendan Jordan

Brendan is an advocate of many causes including fighting drug addiction and supporting transgender rights. His huge platform on social media greatly helps in spreading awareness about issues encompassing the transgender community.

In 2014, his video coming out as a trans boy went viral. He used his fame to inspire the trans youth further by spreading a message of loving oneself. He joined Miley Cyrus’ #InstaPride campaign and appeared in American Apparel ads.

At only 16, he’s already an ambassador for the HRC Youth (Human Rights Campaign).

Nicole Maines

If you love reading comics and watching superhero movies, you might’ve heard or seen the hit TV shows Supergirl, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. She played the recurring role of Nia Nal AKA Dreamer who’s a transgender superhero.

Apart from spreading awareness about trans people in the entertainment industry, she’s also known for pivoting bathroom laws in America. In 2014, a judge ruled that she had the right to use the bathroom with the gender she identified with.

Did we miss any of your favorite young influential transgender individuals? Feel free to keep the conversation going by commenting below. Don’t forget to share this article on your timeline and be part of the trans-inclusive movement.

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Posted in Influencers Tagged #featured, Top lists & trends