Welcome GLSEN's 2014-2015 Transgender Student Rights Advisory Committee

GLSEN strongly believes that change should come from the community who is most impacted by an issue. The Transgender Student Rights advisory committee is one way students who are experiencing the issues around gender identity and gender expression can create change first hand, in their schools. The 2013-2014 advisory committee recently chose their successors, and we’re excited to work with the new members throughout the next year as they advise our work and programming around trans issues in schools. The committee consists of ten bright and strong leaders who bring diverse perspectives and experiences around the issues facing trans and gender nonconforming students around the country. Without further adieu, we’d like to introduce you to some of the members of our 2014-2015 Transgender Student Rights advisory committee!

Be sure to follow Transgender Student Rights on Facebook, Tumblr, and/or Twitter to stay connected with the latest news, tools, and resources for creating safe schools for trans and gender nonconforming youth.

Katie: Hello everyone! I’m Katie, and I’m very excited to collaborate with everyone on the Transgender Student Rights committee! This fall, I will be a freshman at Garner Magnet High School in Garner, North Carolina. I’ve been very involved in LGBTQ activism since I was 11 and entered the world of musical theatre. My other passions include singing, playing piano, Demi Lovato, Ellen DeGeneres, The Fosters, Psychology, and reading. I prefer she/her/hers pronouns.

Aiden: Aiden is a 16 year old transgender, mixed-race student from Michigan. His pronouns are he/him. He is passionate about social activism and dedicated to the improvement of school environments for other trans students, and is looking forward to working with the rest of the Transgender Student Rights advisory committee to achieve this goal.

Sarah: I am 17 and attend North Carolina School of Science and Math, where I am a senior. I'm very passionate about LGBTQ activism, as well as physics, psychology, advanced math, and the arts. I hope to make a positive change in my community and in more widespread ways. I use she/her pronouns.

Fay: Hello everybody! My name is Fay and I'm a nonbinary 16 year old from New Jersey. I'm a junior in high school and I love cats. I'm passionate about activism for LGTBQ+ rights and I'm really excited to have a chance to make a difference this year! Besides this, I enjoy writing, reading, and I love ridiculous bands. My pronouns are xe/xyr/xem.

Morgan: Hello all! I'm a nonbinary 15 year old from Riverside, California, and I'll be starting college in the Fall of 2014 to study physics and astronomy! I'm out and proud and love standing alongside all the wonderful people in the LGBTQ community. I fill up my sketchbooks faster than I can buy them, have too many books and no room for them, and really, really love space. My pronouns are they/them/theirs.

Cynthia: Hey! My name is Cynthia, and I’m going into my senior year of high school in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Outside of Transgender Student Rights, LGBTQ, and other advocacy, I love singing, writing, hiking, and talking to people; as Larry King once said, “you never learn anything while you’re talking”. Lastly, I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this, so I thank GLSEN greatly for this opportunity.

Olly: Hey y’all! I’m a gender queer pansexual from Taunton, MA. I’m currently entering my junior year at Taunton High School. Within my school, I’m a hard worker who’s part of many clubs, my favorite being GSA. Being the president of my school’s GSA doesn’t stop when the last bell rings. One of my passions is advocating for LGBTQ rights. I often attend conferences, pride parades, speakings, as well as my own leadership. Massachusetts’ Department of Secondary and Elementary Education with a partnership with the Safe Schools Program has a state-wide GSA which I am a part of, and within that I'm part of the southeast region, representing my town. PFLAG (or parents and families of lesbian and gays) is another group I work with, doing speakings and sharing my story. When I’m not going LGBTQ work, I usually have my nose in a good book or am listening to some classic rock.

Ash: Hi I’m Ash and I’m a junior in Davis, California. I’m agender (neutrosis!) and my pronouns are xe/xim/xir. I really feel education about the MOGAI community is so, so important and really want to make sure that those in the community feel safe and comfortable with being who they are. I always like to keep up to date on social issues but when I’m not doing that, I’m doing my favorite subject math or some other studying. I’m excited to help other trans students feel safe and help their schools be more educated to further the former.