If one more person makes plans with me only to sleep through them I might actually go on a murderous rampage (but not actually). And then of course I am going to be sent to jail. Or is it juvie? I mean I’m 17, but 17 year-olds can sometimes be tried as adults. I guess maybe it depends on the caliber of a crime and the amount of people affected. I don’t think I’d get the death penalty, just regular adult jail at the worst probably. Assuming the worst-case scenario, I’m going to jail. I don’t think the isolation would get to me too much, I mean alone time is pretty cool. If it gets to be too much I guess I can get a job peeling potatoes or printing license plates or something to get out of my cell every now and then. I’ve never really had a problem with a bit of manual labor. The real problem with me going to jail is the fact that I am not even five ft. tall and despite my age I look like I am about 12 years old, maybe 14 on a good day. Now whether you’ve seen one of those lockup documentaries or scared straight programs on TLC or A&E or whatever it is the kids are watching these days or not, I’m sure everybody knows what happens to 12 year-olds that get sent to prison. It involves scary cellmates and allusions to soap. Yeah, that’ll definitely be another problem. I don’t want to be someone’s b!&#h. I’m fine with the occasional good deed so long as I am doing it by choice, but I really don’t want some 6’3 masculine looking woman with tattoo sleeves pinning me against the wall and breathing down my neck to go wash her socks. And keep in mind this is just jail life. What happens once [if] I get out? If you commit crimes with the impression that employers and colleges are just waiting to provide ex-convicts like yourself with education and employment you are sadly mistaken. Needless to say, I’m going to be insolvent. The most realistic assumption I can make is that I’ll end up on the streets. Considering the reputation I’m going to have at this point, I’m probably getting involved with some sketchy people and heading back to jail before I can even experience a full year of freedom. That’s okay for the time being though as it’s a perfectly good way to levant from the streets. The problem is going to be facing my debts upon my return. With respect to how deep I’m going to be in by now, it’s safe to assume that my overall behavior will be close the very antithesis of legalism. At this point, I’m just going to end up a victim of our country’s pathetic prison cycle and spend the next thirty or so years of my life split between the streets and the state pen. I’ll be in and out of the county courthouse to be tried on ridiculously legalistic charges so many times that I must get some type of frequent flyer card. Given, this amount of time may allow me to gain some respect and boost my reputation within the community; I can’t see myself staying alive in such an environment for more than about thirty years if I’m lucky. And you can bet your @$$ that I am not going to die peacefully. No, I will meet my end in a cataclysm of alcohol, violence, and hard drugs. So there you have it. Keep me off the streets; stop sleeping through your commitments.
Seventeen-year-old Leelah Alcorn tragically ended her life Sunday, December 28, 2014 when struck by a tractor-trailer, leaving behind a suicide note on Tumblr. Slate writer and assistant editor, J. Bryan Lowder in his article, “” brings attention to the recent suicide of the transgender teen and its negative reflection of our current society; a family is too concerned with their religious morals and image within the community to recognize their daughter’s gender identity. In his article, Lowder includes the note left by Leelah (which has since been deleted along with her entire account by her parents), and briefly comments on the tragedy. Lowder’s decision to include the entire note verbatim was a wise choice, as he uses Alcorn’s own words to get his message across. Lowder quotes Alcorn as writing, “I immediately told my mom, and she reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that I am wrong,” as well as commenting that even after Alcorn’s death, her mother had publicly mis-gendered her in a Facebook post. While Lowder could have solely explained to us in his own words how unsupportive and degrading Alcorn’s parents were, he uses Leelah’s words to create an emotional appeal and show from her perspective how damaging her parents’ attitudes really were. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to a likely case of familial bullying. Lowder also writes that Alcorn’s death is “symptomatic of our society’s widespread transphobia, especially with regard to teens wishing to transition.” His point is that this tragedy is not isolated incident, but rather a reflection of an overwhelming hatred, disgust, and disproval of transgender individual within our country. Lowder is surely right about the dangers of transphobia within our society because, as he may or may not be aware, recent studies have shown that within a four-month study, 10 percent of the total 102 reported acts of violence committed against transgender people worldwide were suffered by transgender youth ( Listen to Leelah Alcorn’s Final WordsHuff Post). In addition, The Trevor Project has found that nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt. Making his point clear, Lowder writes, “It would have cost her family and community nothing to take the small step of calling her by her chosen name and honoring her gender identity when she asked for it, but their refusal has cost them everything.” In making this bold statement, Lowder expresses his own disgust with Alcorn’s family and community for not acknowledging her personal choices and implying that they are to blame for this tragedy. I agree with Lowder that the refusal to call her by her chosen name and honor her gender identity is in fact what cost Alcorn her happiness as well as her life. The death of Leelah Alcorn is a tragedy that reflects on modern transphobia; she will be remembered, by her proper name.
It was difficult enough responding to such a tragedy while trying to do it justice that I was not willing to compromise the seriousness of the topic by working in ridiculous vocabulary words. That being said, my vocabulary portion can be found below. It is beyond sad that the only way for so many people, young people especially, to feel solvency from their problems is by taking their own lives. I wish there were more ways for people to feel absolved from their troubles. However, I know that there is still is much more than that one option, for nothing is irresolvable, even the prejudice faced by people like Leelah. If I am wrong, then there should be more ways to resolve such issues. I know that there are already organizations and charities dedicated to helping keep transgender youth safe in place, but in my lifetime, I would like to see the day when I can truly say that any case of prejudice or bullying is solvable. I had an actual nightmare about AP Lang last night. Just wanted to put that out there...
Okay, rant time. Don’t worry; I’ll be sure to link a nice angsty song to accompany this. WHY THE HELL DOES NOBODY DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SCHOOLWORK AND EXTRACURRICULARS ANYMORE? Sure, I have plenty of homework and extracurricular activities myself, not to mention the stupid projects and long term assignments like say maintaining a blog that get thrown into the mix, but this is just ridiculous. When I’m not fulfilling my responsibilities or sleeping, I make an effort to drag myself out of bed in order to make the most of my fading adolescence. However, I seem to be the only one. If I want to see my friends, I have to organize a gathering. Nobody calls or just shows up at the front door to ask if you want to hang out anymore. I thought I had at least another five years before I had to start making appointments to see my own friends. I have practically seen entire friend groups dissolve due to the sheer lack of time spent together. And when I do arrange something, don’t even get me started on the god$@*! - &@%#ing smartphones.
Though I admit that I enjoy the amenity of a phone smarter than myself, it sometimes feels as though I am a human anachronism in this age of technology. The amatory reliance some people have on their phones is sickening. If I have gone through the trouble to be face to face with you, you better not be using your phone for anything other than communicating with a parent, taking a picture, playing music, or looking something up. I swear I am dangerously close to levying a personal tax on every text message you send from my residence. It kills me inside whenever I make plans with someone only to have them totally out of it and texting someone or playing games in my presence. What, am I not entertaining enough for you? If you’d rather be doing something else, please don’t let me stop you. Go be with whoever it is that you’re texting or go play videogames and watch Netflix from the darkness of your room while your entire life wastes away. I’ll just be here trying ensure that I’ll have something to look back on when I’m an adult with real world responsibilities that doesn’t involve me alone in my room playing the Sims 3. All in all, I blame society and the education system. Current Score |