(Photo: Thomas Thompson via Unsplash)
A Florida teen made history as her high school’s first transgender homecoming queen.
Olympia High School senior Evan Bialosuknia got the news during a football game, according to CNN. Since her coronation, she’s received messages of support and pride from her peers.
She’s also received hateful messages and said those people “don’t understand and never will.”
“Me winning isn’t trying to change anyone’s mind to accept me and understand it,” said the 17-year-old. “It’s just to show anyone can do anything, and if you’re a part of the LGBTQ+ community, it doesn’t make you weirder or [more of] a loner than everyone.”
Marnie Bialosuknia was excited for her daughter but acknowledged that many trans teens don’t have the same support at school or at home. Just under 2% of U.S. high school students are trans, and that they are more likely than cisgender students to experience violent harassment and risk of suicide, according to a 2019 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“My hope is that, maybe five years from now, this wouldn’t be newsworthy,” the mother said, adding, “Evan’s the first, but she won’t be the last.”