While many in the LGBT community were proud of President Obama’s historic inaugural address in which he made reference to Stonewall and “our gay brothers and sisters”, 11-year-old Sadie felt he hadn’t given consideration to the transgender community.
Sadie is a Lady Gaga-loving vegan and a transgender girl. According to her mother, Sage, she is apt to strike up a conversation with just about anyone, introducing herself as, “Hi, I’m Sadie, my favorite color is pink, I’m vegan, and I’m transgender. Who are you?'”
As a result, Sage says she’s always “on” whenever they go out in public.
Sadie socially transitioned from a boy to a girl in kindergarten and until this year she was home-schooled. Now in fifth grade, Sadie attends public school and has dreams of working for Green Peace and becoming a mother.
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She also has dreams of a world that is both inclusive and respectful of transgender people, as expressed in her own speech, “Sadie’s Dream for the World.”
“Sadie was so proud of President Obama for including the gay community in his inaugural address on Monday; however, she felt like the trans community wasn’t included,” Sage told The Huffington Post. “That inspired her to write her own ‘speech.'”
The world would be a better place if everyone had the right to be themselves, including people who have a creative gender identity and expression. Transgender people are not allowed the freedom to do things everyone else does, like go to the doctor, go to school, get a job, and even make friends.
Transgender kids like me are not allowed to go to most schools because the teachers think we are different from everyone else. The schools get afraid of how they will talk with the other kids’ parents, and transgender kids are kept secret or told not to come there anymore. Kids are told not to be friends with transgender kids, which makes us very lonely and sad.
When they grow up, transgender adults have a hard time getting a job because the boss thinks the customers will be scared away. Doctors are afraid of treating transgender patients because they don’t know how to take care of them, and some doctors don’t really want to help them. Transgender patients like me travel to other states to see a good doctor.
It would be a better world if everyone knew that transgender people have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. We like to make friends and want to go to school. Transgender people want to get good jobs and go to doctors like they are exactly the same. It really isn’t that hard to like transgender people because we are like everyone else.
Though Huff Po offered to run the story anonymously, to protect Sadie’s identity, Sage objected, saying that her daughter is proud of who she is. She encouraged Sadie to write the essay — “to know that she has a voice” — and because she thought “it might help empower her and overcome any feelings of oppression.”
“My dream for her is that she will be happy,” Sage said. “That’s all, really. I just want her to be happy.”
Photos: Sadie’s Family/Huff Po
2eo
It must be sad for the GOP to have 11 year olds far more eloquent, intelligent and better for society than all the Paul Ryan’s in the world put together.
Nikkidane
Bravo! As a Trans woman, I too felt that Trans people were completely left out of the President’s inauguration speech and celebration. While I applaud his mentioning the need for Gay and Lesbian Equality, I felt that Gender Variant people, often still the most discriminated minority group, were completely forgotten. Does Pres.Obama even realize that Transgender does not equal Gay? Frankly, I was not impressed at all. Supporting Gay Rights is not a particularly politically risky move in 2013 but supporting Trans Rights certainly is breaking new ground.
Thedrdonna
@Nikkidane: Actually, by referencing Stonewall, we has referencing an event in which trans folks participated, some as leaders. I think not including trans people as an explicit mention is a wise political move, and I personally don’t have a problem with it, as long as the laws and changes he proposes are trans-inclusive. Actions speak louder than words.
Aidan8
@Thedrdonna: I agree with your take on this.