I just saw a post where someone was talking about donating to something which included the sentence “Please help me to ensure that Leelah didn’t die in vain.”
And you know what? Fuck you. I know the intention was good, but this just summarises exactly what seems off about the way a lot of poeople having been reacting to this.
Because it doesn’t matter how many charities you donate to, how much awareness is raised. She will always have died in vain. Because there is nothing honourable in dying. Because it should never have fucking happened in the first place.
Yes, maybe this is what it has taken to make you want to do something. But nothing will make her death “worthwhile”.
Do not use Leelah’s death as a tool - a means to achieve an end. Do not treat it like one. Treat it like the fucking tragedy it is.
I’ve used this before and the person I was chatting with was very kind and helpful. I really could have hurt myself seriously if I hadn’t seen a tumblr post about the site… Phone calls and I don’t do so well together
besides imalive’s very limited online hours (only 3.5 hours a day!), imalive’s parent company (twloha) also has links to, uh, conversion therapy organisations that they only distanced themselves from after coming under fire for it(here’s an article about imalive’s many problems)
So here’s some alternatives of various kinds I’ve seen recommended, but I don’t know much about them:
cis ppl: sshhhhh. this is not a time for you to be speaking. this is a time for you to be listening and thinking about your place in a violently anti-trans world.
