TYFA’s Amethyst Ribbon Campaign battles transgender youth suicide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2007
TransYouth Family Advocates announces campaign for transgender suicide awareness
HOLLAND, MI– Today, TransYouth Family Advocates (TYFA) launches the Amethyst Ribbon Campaign, an awareness project to battle suicide among transgender youth.
The Amethyst Ribbon Campaign was established as part of the Ian Benson Project. Ian was a 16-year old affirmed male who took his own life in October 2007. Ian’s mother, TYFA’s secretary/treasurer, hopes to help other children and families avoid the pain and struggles that can lead to suicide among trans youth.
“Transgender” (or the abbreviation “trans”) describes people whose gender identity or expression differs from expectations for their physical sex characteristics or sex assigned at birth. Recent estimates conclude approximately 1 in 500 people seek surgical reassignment during their lives, with many more expressing their gender in other ways. Studies suggest that among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans youth, 50% end up ideating or attempting suicide before adulthood.
TYFA President Shannon Garcia described the symbolism of the Amethyst Ribbon Campaign. “The brilliant violet color of amethyst is also a blend of the pink and blue traditionally used to designate the male/female binary. Amethyst is a precious gem, chosen to represent how precious trans children are to their families and friends.”
TYFA Executive Director Kim Pearson said, “Ian was our friend, he was the friend of our children, he was part of our hearts and the hearts of his family. To keep Ian’s memory alive, we will help other families and children by telling the stories of our children and families, to reach out to the other Ian’s of the world. We can help them and their families find the answers. In honor of Ian and all transgender people, we ask that you share this message and vision.”
TransYouth Family Advocates is a coalition of parents, friends and caring adults dedicated to educating and raising public awareness about the medical and cultural challenges faced by children with gender variant and gender questioning identities and the families who love them.
To learn more about the Amethyst Ribbon Campaign, please visit the TYFA website at www.imatyfa.org or call 1-888-IMA-TYFA. The site includes information and resources for trans youth and their families.
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Contact:
Kim Pearson, Executive Director
http://www.imatyfa.org
kimp@imatyfa.org
1-888-462-8932 (888-IMA-TYFA)
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November 5th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
T.J. is my grandson, he is a wonderful, smart child. he lives with me, he is transgender, he says knows he is a girl. He acts and behaves as a girl and has ever since he was born. I believe him, but alot of people do not, so we do not discuss this in public. We have a very hard time with people who call themselves christian. T.J. is 6 and he likes to go to church. So i do not have a problem with him going, but i am afraid of the grown people who believe that this is his choice, and not his fate that cannot be changed. we have already had a lady from a church try to take him away from me because she charged that i was trying to make him a homosexual. which is such a far fetched word at out home, i was so deeply offended and this expericence will scar me and him for the rest of our lives. We do not go to the church that this woman is from. Her husband is a preacher at the church, and she acts as a children’s advocate. CASA. She is a volunteer, and visited with us one time and picked up on the idea that T.J. was playing with barbie dolls, and i was not telling him to put them down. she called an emergency court meeting and tried to take him from me. because she does not believe in homosexuals, which is not what T.J. is, He is transgender. either do not bother me, but this just shows how much she does not know. This experince has taught me that no matter how much i accept him, some people will never accept him and he is a fantastic child. Thanks, Carolyn
November 11th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
[…] Posted in Uncategorized at 3:27 pm by ladyjuliana HOLLAND, MI– Today, TransYouth Family Advocates (TYFA) launches the Amethyst Ribbon Campaign, an awareness projec… […]