18-year-old trailblazing transgender student helps community through youth-led Gender Cool program
Share this @internewscast.com

LOS ANGELES — Some of 18-year-old Alex’s passions include acting and set building, which keeps him busy.

But what also keeps Alex — a senior in high school — busy is being a part of the Gender Cool Champions group.

Gender Cool is a youth-led group aiming to bring positive change by sharing young people’s experience and creating awareness about the transgender community.

Alex is transgender.

“My pronouns are he/him. I do advocacy with the Gender Cool project. But I have also been doing a lot at my school since I was the first transgender student at my school,” Alex said.

Alex is from the South Bay and attends school in Los Angeles County. He said his journey has not been an easy one.

A part of his identity is his name, Alex, which took a while to get legally changed. It’s also been difficult to get his name changed on things like medical records too.

Another big challenge Alex faces and overcame was getting acceptance of his identity from his family.

“I am a third generation Mexican, and it’s also been a little bit of a struggle when it comes to gender identity because a lot of the religious trauma that it comes with it,” Alex said. “But, surprisingly throughout the years, (my) grandparents have really grown to it, which was a struggle because my grandparents mean a lot to me.”

Alex said he did not have much help or people to turn to for guidance at school when he was going through the toughest times of his journey, and there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the transgender community.

That is why he wanted to help get involved and stand up for his LGBTQ peers. For instance, he makes sure people use correct pronouns when addressing others.

He told a story of when a teacher misgendered a fellow student.

“At the end of class, the teacher did actually misgender the student and I corrected her. That was the first time the teacher got (the) student’s pronouns correct in the entire school year. It means a lot because I didn’t have someone like that when I was a freshman because I had to fight my own my battle. So, it was nice to be there for them,” Alex said.

Even though Alex has faced challenges, and is a champion for others — he also knows he can count on his own champions, his sister and mom.

Alex said he’ll continue to advocate for the transgender and nonbinary community, and he hopes to work with lawmakers. After college, he said he would love to return to his high school and be involved with the theater department.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Biden administration grants protection to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, under pressure over border

Biden administration grants protection to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, under pressure over border

The move comes after intense political pressure from fellow Democrats ByREBECCA SANTANA…
Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner reach divorce settlement and avoid trial

Kevin Costner and his wife Christine Baumgartner resolve divorce case and bypass trial

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Kevin Costner and his wife of nearly 19…
San Antonio considers overnight semi-truck parking ban for non-residential streets

Potential Ban on Overnight Semi-Truck Parking in Non-Residential Areas Being Explored by San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio is considering whether to…
Birgit Cunningham (pictured outside Westminster Magistrates Court) admitted assaulting a police officer at her London flat in July this year

Hollywood socialite who dated Kevin Costner for three years and partied with Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson kicked female police officer in the leg as she drunkenly smashed up her own home

A former Hollywood socialite who once dated star Kevin Costner went berserk and…
Abbott said he had deployed people to repair razor wire in Eagle Pass

Eagle Pass migrant crisis: Biden administration sends 800 troops to help as another 250 wait to be processed after 4,000 flooded into Texas town yesterday, triggering a state of emergency

The Biden administration is sending 800 troops to help the Texas National…
Straw-Hatted South Carolina Retiree Gives the Accounting We All Need of What He Heard During F-35 Crash

Straw-Hatted South Carolina Retiree Gives the Accounting We All Need of What He Heard During F-35 Crash

Earlier this week we were treated to the strange story concerning an…
Ryan Seacrest reacts to Vanna White's 'Wheel of Fortune' deal

Ryan Seacrest reacts to Vanna White’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ deal

Ryan Seacrest is thrilled to be teaming up with Vanna White when…
Romeoville murders update: Suspect Nathaniel Huey Jr. believed dead after Oklahoma chase, 2nd person of interest also dead

Romeoville murders update: Suspect Nathaniel Huey Jr. believed dead after Oklahoma chase, 2nd person of interest also dead

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (WLS) — The suspect in the murder of a family…
Couple: Sir Mick Jagger was joined by girlfriend Melanie Hamrick at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, ahead of the State Dinner held in honor of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday

Sir Mick Jagger, 79, battles strong winds as he arrives at King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Versailles state banquet alongside girlfriend Melanie Hamrick, 36

Sir Mick Jagger was seen battling strong winds as he arrived at…
Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy Roasts WaPo Writer, Gives a Master Class on Fighting Media Bias

Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy Roasts WaPo Writer, Gives a Master Class on Fighting Media Bias

Dave Portnoy, founder and owner of Barstool Sports, has a complaint with…
Cindy Crawford makes rare comments about ex Richard Gere

Cindy Crawford makes rare comments about ex Richard Gere

Cindy Crawford made very rare comments about ex-husband Richard Gere in her…
Sheriff says 9 deputies charged in death of man beaten in Memphis jail

Nine Deputies Charged in the Death of Man Subjected to Beating in Memphis Jail, Sheriff Confirms

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Nine Memphis jail deputies have been indicted in the…