Coco, Age 14, Utah
COCO: The laws are stupid. Like, really stupid. One time one of my teachers brought it up, and this one kid said ‘Well what if they fake it so they can win sports?’ but I personally don’t think someone would want to change their whole life, their whole identity and have to go through so much just to win something as stupid as sports. It makes me angry because they’ll never know what so many people have to go through, and they think it’s just some silly little thing but it’s really such a big thing. Knowing that people don’t support us, or are so against us that they’ll go and do something hateful, really makes me upset. It makes me feel like I’m an alien or something that’s not supposed to exist.
MOM: Something Coco sees me doing all the time is battling ignorance with education. The more science-based facts and the more articles that I can share… that’s the only thing I’ve been battling people with because you can scream at them till you’re blue in the face, but when you start throwing education at them, some do start to listen.
I share a lot of the same feelings that Coco has. I get really angry. Being a parent, of course, I want to go out and fight everybody and I have to wrangle it in, I have to pull my cat claws in, because that’s not going to get us anywhere. The biggest weapon we have is our minds. Coco is very, very smart. He’s always been above grade level. I tell him that is your biggest tool and weapon, that’s how we go forward. It’s been an honor, right alongside this kid, fighting for what’s right.
COCO: It’s probably just fear because people think that ‘different’ is supposed to be scary. They hear one thing, and they just follow the crowd, spreading misinformation.
MOM: It became the basis for politicians getting elected.
COCO: I really think that trans people, and LGBTQ people in general, need a lot more representation. Since Utah is a red state, this can help anyone else that’s out there feel comforted because they know that other people are here like them. I’d like to be an activist, but I don’t know if I am.
MOM: I definitely think he is! He always speaks his mind, and he’s never one to back down from anyone saying something wrong, no matter what it costs him, he always sticks up for what’s right.
SISTER: It’s a very scary world out there for trans and non-binary folk. I have hope that these stories will someday reach a politician, and they’ll listen, they’ll actually listen to these beautiful stories of people becoming and blossoming into who they really are. I have hope that one day trans and LGBTQ people will feel safe in the world without the fear of hatred.
MOM: Yeah. We all get pretty emotional about this stuff. I look forward to the day when it’s not a fight. I don’t want there to have to be the activism and the fighting against these laws. I just don’t understand why acceptance is so hard for people. I’m just so proud of this kid, and all my kids. They never back down. I’m proud of who I raised.