Family seeks support for transgender rights

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@youmvi.com

As Pride Month approaches, a mom from Charleroi is determined to encourage love and support for Mid-Mon Valley residents in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Charleroi resident Amanda Blouir, whose 11-year-old daughter Samantha identifies as a transgender female, said she’s determined to work with local school districts, communities and organizations to ensure the voices of members of the LGBTQIA+ community are heard and that their rights and feelings are respected.

Samantha said she wanted to share her identity — and she wanted to allow her mother to share some of her story — in hopes it will allow others to see they are not alone and have allies in their community.

“I think it’s very important to have a parent’s perspective of raising a transgender child that is part of the LGBTQIA spectrum in small communities and what we go through in the small communities as a parent,” Amanda said.

She hopes others gain a new perspective and would like to meet local parents and guardians who can relate.

There are people living in the Mid-Mon Valley in need of support who are the victims of cruelty, discrimination and baseless stereotypes based on their gender or sexual identity and preferences, according to Amanda.

She said her daughter has been subject to bullying and discrimination from her peers in the Charleroi Area School District, leading to emotional struggles for the young child.

Samantha recently approached Amanda and said “Mommy, my story needs to be heard,” after a video of students at the district’s middle school — who were allegedly taunting and bullying LGBTQIA+ students and their allies while on school grounds — surfaced and began being shared on social media pages.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Wednesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.