Trans advocate and acclaimed actress Laverne Cox guest co-hosted The View yesterday morning and discussed the recent suicide of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, Laverne's own attempt to take her life at a young age, the dangers of living in an anti-transgender culture, and resources for trans youth and their families.
Visibly moved by the untimely loss of Leelah's life, Laverne told the nation:
"It's really hard for me. I've talked publicly about my own suicide attempt when I was 11 years old, and whenever I hear about a young person taking their own life simply for being who they are because they didn't feel like they had support, they didn't believe it would get better…If it got better for me when I learned how to reach out and get support, when I did the work to truly, truly love myself, that's a lot of work and you can't do it alone."
"For all those people out there who feel like you don't have support, and don't have someone to love you, there is someone who loves you," Laverne added, and cited that 41% of transgender youth have attempted suicide, "partly because we live in a world that doesn't validate us, and a world that doesn't celebrate us and tell us that we're beautiful."
In October, Laverne joined GLAAD in taking a stand for LGBT youth by lighting the Empire State Building purple in honor of Spirit Day.
Rosie O'Donnell, a regular co-host of The View, told Laverne, "You you have done so much to advance visibility, acceptance, love, and appreciation for trans people, and I just want to say thank you because it's amazing what you have done with your life and your truth. To stand in it so beautifully, I'm sure, inspires many of us, including me."
Watch the heartfelt clip below:
Laverne closed the segment by opening up about the love and support she has from her mother Gloria and the journey they took together to strengthen that relationship. Last year, Gloria even surprised her daughter on stage at the GLAAD Media Awards in a show of support as Laverne was honored for achievements in both advocacy and entertainment.