The death of 18-year-old Blake Brockington is the second apparent suicide of a transgender teen to rock a North Carolina community.
According to Charlotte’s Time Out Youth Center, Brockington died Monday night. The teen activist, who campaigned for racial equality, had sought help at the center with his transition from female to male.
Brockington moved in with a foster family just before he began his transition to male as a high school sophomore.
Watch Blake Brockington share his story in a video interview below:
[youtubevid video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=goqRv3z302U” id=”goqRv3z302U” w=”640″ h=”360″]
He confided in the Charlotte Observer that he had been experiencing suicidal thoughts and that the transition had been marred by bullying and questioning.
“My family feels like this is a decision I made,” Brockington said. “They think, ‘You’re already black, why would you want to draw more attention to yourself?’ But it’s not a decision. It is who I am. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”
Brockington described the bullying that followed his transition as the “hardest part” of becoming male. “I saw how narrow-minded the world really is,” he said.
Unfortunately, Brockington’s story is all too common. Nearly half of transgender teens attempt suicide, a rate that is greater than attempts by gay, lesbian and bisexual adults.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday in Ravenel, South Carolina.