A group of North Texas parents, their transgender children and allies are traveling to the state capital to advocate for equal rights.
Alex Pettigrew, 15, and his mother, Michele, are excited for the chance to speak out.
“More people are starting to find out that I’m transgender and that has been a fear of mine,” he said. “I feel like right about now we have to speak up and fight for our rights no matter the consequences.”
“If the wrong people find out and I get hurt, I’m still going to keep fighting,” he added. “If I lose friends I’m still going to keep fighting.”
Alex said he has already seen pushback from friends.
“They say that I’m broken in the head. That I need to be fixed. That I’m never going to be Alex. That I’m always going to be a girl in their eyes,” he said.
Now Alex and his mother, Michele, will join other North Texas families in Austin.
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“What he says makes a difference. What we all say can make a difference we hope in someone’s life to get them to see that they are normal,” Michele said. “They are kids. They just want to live their lives [and be] who they are.”
“There are so many kids out there that are suffering or have suffered over their lifetime,” she added.
The Pettigrew family is a part of the DFW Trans Kids and Families group of nearly 180 people.
“We’re out there ready to fight. Just stand up like a mama bear does to protect our cubs and all transgender kids are our cubs,” Michele said. “They are all ours. So, we’re here to fight for them no matter whether they are 2, 4, 24 [or] 48-years-old. They are still all our kids and we are here for them.”
