Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Transgendered–a term more and more people are becoming familiar with, and not just because of pop culture.
Gender identity is an issue facing many people right here in the Copper Country, and it can be tough especially on teenagers.
The key to understanding is knowing the difference between sex and gender, which don’t always match.
Keweenaw Pride member Leo Reichstetter is a transgendered male at Michigan Tech.
Transgender and gender non-conforming teens have the highest suicide rate of any group with a staggering 40% of them having at least attempted suicide, according to some estimates.
Kyle McGurk is also a Michigan Tech student and part of Keweenaw Pride.
He says talking about gender identity at a young age could go a long way to make it easier for everyone to fit in.
16-year-old Calumet High School student Mackenzie Murtomaki was a self-described a-gendered person–neither male nor female–who chose to end their life in November.
Gender identity will be discussed with Reichstetter, McGurk and Keweenaw Pride President Lilly Szilagy on this week’s Copper Country Today.
