MOTHER AND ADVOCATE FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH
JOANNE LEE
SKYLAR LEE
SON AND ADVOCATE FOR ACCEPTANCE AND EQUALTIY
Skylar Lee
Skylar was heavily involved in Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and supported Black Lives Matter protest. To learn more about Skylar's impact on the Madison community you can read the articles to the right.
Motivated and Empowered was written by Skylar about his experiences.
Joanne
Joanne Lee is a Mother of two transgender sons, Avi and Skylar, who came out in 2014.
"I didn't accept them as transgender sons because of the broad culture of transphobia in the US and also parts of my Asian Culture and Christian upbringing.
Skylar was heavily involved in Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and supported Black Lives Matter protests. He took his own life in 2015 due to depression. Skylar's death changed my whole life. Now I advocate for family acceptance and want to play my role in showing transgender youth they are loved and their lives are worth saving. I am passionate about advocating for better treatment of LGBTQ children, transgender health care, mental health care and for better a future for all of our children.
I'm a registered nurse. I also serve on the board of PFLAG Madison chapter, I’m a national public speaker with NQAPIA, and I work as a council member with the HRC Parents Council on Transgender Equality. I travel across the country to speak out in support of LGBTQ rights and Asian family acceptance, to continue the legacy of Skylar. In 2016 I received the Wisconsin Community Activist award from the Fair Wisconsin Fund."
To learn more about Joanne and Skylar click here.
- some helpful -
Resources
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PFLAG - Support for families, allies and people who are LGBTQ.
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GLADD - GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
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HRC - advocates for LGBTQ equality and educates the public about LGBTQ issues.
- GSAFE - GSAFE increases the capacity of LGBTQ+ students, educators, and families to create schools in Wisconsin where all youth thrive.
- GSANETWORK - a national youth leadership organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources through peer support, leadership development, and training.
- NQAPIA - seeks to build the organizational capacity of local LGBT AAPI groups, develop leadership, promote visibility, educate our community, enhance grassroots organizing, expand collaborations, and challenge homophobia and racism.
- Freedom, Inc. - they work to end violence against people of color, women, those that non-traditionally gender identify, youth, and our elders, to promote a healthy lifestyle
- Wisconsin Transgender Health Coalition