found 93 per cent of LGBTQI youths experienced mental health issues during the pandemic – a higher percentage than any other cohort.After several years of therapy, Alex came out to his parents halfway through year 7. Initially, they told him to wait until he turned 18 before he began identifying as a male or having hormone therapy. “I was like: ‘Well, I’m not going to make it to 18,’ ” Alex said.“That was probably the worst stint of suicidal ideation that I had.
”We were unsure of whether it was a phase, whether it was just a thing that he was going through or it was forever,” Mr Dalton said. Alex started testosterone therapy at the beginning of year 10 and top surgery, where breast tissue is removed, in year 12. “Starting hormone therapy was another set of leaps and bounds in terms of my mental health improving – it was something I had waited for for a long time.”He met regularly with teachers to discuss potentially fraught issues such as which tent he would sleep in on camps and which toilets he would use .
“The school suggested to us that Alex would be much happier if he wore pants and he was, they were right. I thought they handled things very well. I still can’t believe he didn’t get picked on or anything by other students. He seemed to be accepted by everyone there.”