While media feminists in the UK were busy trying to bury the story of Leelah Alcorn, media feminists in the USA have been offering support to the trans community. On today’s episode of the Melissa Harris Perry Show there was a segment featuring Leelah’s story, followed by a feature on Angelica Ross whose organization TransTechSocial, gets trans kids off the street and teaches them technology skills.

There was a vigil for Leelah in London today. I couldn’t get there, but I understand that it was very well attended. Sarah Brown gave a speech, which she posted to her blog. It is concise, to the point, and most importantly is aimed at the real villains here, the therapists who claim to be able to cure people of being trans.

Sarah says she’ll be doing what she can to ban such therapies in the UK. I wish her every success. These methods are banned in California for treatment of gays and lesbians, but not for treatment of trans people. In the UK, although the Health Minister described their use on gays and lesbians as “utterly abhorrent”, he refuses to ban it, and such treatments are apparently being paid for on the NHS. If is happening with respect to sexuality, I am sure it will be happening with trans kids too.

If you’d like to see conversation therapy for trans people banned in the USA, please consider signing this petition.