Over 50,000 sign petition to have Leelah Alcorn’s correct name on tombstone

A petition with over 50,000 signatures has been started to have trans teenager Leelah Alcorn’s correct name displayed on her tombstone.

Leelah Alcorn, from Ohio, scheduled a heartbreaking post on Tumblr, citing her parent’s refusal to accept her trans status, and calling for better education and awareness, before taking her own life by stepping in front of a truck.

She said her Christian parents refused to allow her to self-identify, and told her she was going through “a phase” because “God doesn’t make mistakes”.

Now a Change.org petition with over 53,000 signatures has been started to have Alcorn’s name displayed on her tombstone correctly, rather than the name she was given at birth.

It reads: “Her dying wish was to make her death mean something. Let’s make that wish a reality.”

Gay activist Dan Savage has called for the parents of transgender teenager Alcorn to be prosecuted in her death.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and need to talk to someone, visit samaritans.org or call 08457 90 90 90.

• Dec 01 2023

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