To be transgender is to identify as a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Transgender people are gaining awareness around the world, and this includes at Arrowhead.

A student at Arrowhead, who wishes to remain anonymous for the purpose of her privacy, will be referred to as “Jane Doe.” She is transgender, and is a junior at Arrowhead.

“I am a junior here and nobody really quite knows about who I am yet. I’ve been keeping everything on the down-low because I’ve had other friends in the past that have gotten bullied,” she says in regards to being transgender. “I’m male-to-female, and I am a guitar and bass player.”

Doe has been bullied at Arrowhead on one major occasion for her identity: “There was one night where I went to an Arrowhead public event (the movie night) where we were all on the football field and watched Ferris Bueller’s day off.”

This event was open to all students.

“I was with my boyfriend and we were harassed the entirety of the night. We had several kids recording us and making mean comments like ‘get a room’ and ‘is that an orgy?’ We had to leave early to stop the harassment,” she says.

This kind of environment Doe says deem Arrowhead as an uncomfortable space for her to come out. 

“Honestly, I would feel really unsafe if the whole school knew about me and what I’ve been going through,” says Doe.

At the same time, Doe knows she has people at Arrowhead to support her whether the whole school knows or not.

“My friends luckily have been very supportive in getting me through such a hard time right now,” she says.