Mum speaks on trans teen’s death

We won't forget you Leelah ... advocates and celebrities are pushing for new laws to help transgender kids. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

THE mum of a transgender teen who killed herself says she did not support her "choice" on religious grounds but claims she loved her "unconditionally".

As advocates and celebrities started a petition to ban transgender conversion therapy, Leelah Alcorn's mother, Carla, broke her silence on her daughter's death.

Speaking to CNN, Carla Alcorn of Ohio would only refer to her daughter by the name "Josh".

Mum speaks out ... Carla Alcorn would only use the name "Josh" and "my son" when talking about her transgender daughter. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Earlier this week Leelah, 16, walked in front of a tractor trailer, leaving behind a heartbreaking suicide note on her Tumblr account in which she blamed her Christian parents, Carla and Doug, for not supporting her to transition into a woman and for making her undergo gay conversion therapy.

"If you are reading this, parents, please don't tell this to your kids. Even if you are Christian or are against transgender people don't ever say that to someone, especially your kid. That won't do anything but make them hate them self. That's exactly what it did to me," Leelah wrote in the suicide note. "My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say "that's f***ed up" and fix it. Fix society. Please."

Leelah's parents ... Carla and Doug Alcorn. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Mrs Alcorn however says she still can't accept her transgender daughter.

"We don't support that, religiously," she told CNN. "But we told him that we loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy."

Mrs Alcorn said they haven't had a funeral service for Leelah because people have threatened to protest because they believe putting "Josh Alcorn" on a tombstone would be a final insult.

But Mrs Alcorn says the first she had ever heard the name 'Leelah' was in the suicide note.

"He never said that name before," she said.

Mrs Alcorn admits that Leelah had asked them about transition surgery but she said no because "we didn't have the money for anything like that".

The Transgender Human Rights Institute have started a petition on Change.org to 'call upon the President of the United State- Barack Obama, and the Leadership of the House and Senate to immediately seek a pathway for banning the practice known as 'transgender conversion therapy.'

That has been supported by celebrities including, Orange is the New Black's Laverne Cox, Grey's Anatomy star Sara Ramirez, Shameless's Emmy Rossum, transgender advocate Janet Mock and comedian Stephen Fry.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp

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