My niece started taking cross-sex hormones when she was 18

I’m a public school teacher in NH USA, and have seen the lives of my students, my neighbor and my niece destroyed because they were told they had boy’s brains in girls’ bodies. My niece started taking cross-sex hormones when she was 18. She soon found her face and body irreversibly changed, but she didn’t want to go through the surgeries. She was trapped, and died of a heroin overdose. She had been talking about suicide.

I’ve spoken at the NH Statehouse against bills that have forced us to pretend that men are women – even on the sports fields – as well as bilIs that silence therapists,  have repeatedly written and spoken to state representatives and our governor, I often write about this on Facebook, an on-line journals, and letters to the editor.

After writing about the death of my niece, I received several death threats, was doxed at work, and was investigated by my school district for bigotry. I’m leaving my place of work, but I’m concerned that I won’t find another job after their HR checks out my background. I have a progressive neighbor who stalks, threatens, and harrasses me. Facebook removed one of my posts (of course) and I am often called a bigot by my friends on social media.  My relatives on my niece’s side of the family won’t communicate with me.

Stephen, special education teacher, USA