I am a transgender student in Wake County, NC, and this petition is deeply personal to me. I, along with many of my peers, go by a different name at school than the one we were given at birth. This simple act of self-identification is crucial to our well-being and sense of identity. However, a recent movement requires parental consent before a child can be called by any other name at school - even if it's just a nickname like Beth instead of Bethany.

This requirement puts LGBTQ students like myself in danger. Not all parents are supportive or understanding when their child identifies as LGBTQ. By forcing us to obtain parental consent to use our chosen names, this policy could inadvertently out students to unsupportive families before they're ready or safe to do so.

According to The Trevor Project's 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past twelve months, with transgender and nonbinary youth reporting higher rates than their peers. The same study found that trans youth who reported having pronouns respected by all or most people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected. Do you (Wake County) really want to have these kids’ blood on your hands? Do you want to kill these children?

By allowing students to be called by their chosen names without requiring parental consent, we can create safer environments for these vulnerable young people. We must prioritize student safety over bureaucratic policies that may unintentionally put them in harm's way.

We urge Wake County schools and policymakers across North Carolina to repeal this harmful requirement immediately. Please sign this petition if you believe every student has the right to self-identify safely within our schools.