Transgender teen describes attack at Hopkins High School

MINNETONKA, Minnesota – Last Thursday, Cobalt Sovereign had to go to the bathroom at Hopkins High School.

“I wanted to go to the bathroom and actually didn’t get there until an hour later at the hospital,” she said.

The hospital where she stayed for two days to treat serious injuries sustained in an attack while using the toilet.

“In the toilet, he looked at the stall where I was about to go to the toilet and immediately called me a faggot,” Sovereign described.

The student who allegedly insulted her repeated this several times.

“I left the bathroom and managed to verbally confront the boy,” Cobalt said. “He had no reason to have anything against me, I never spoke to him, never did anything bad to him. And I was insulted and eventually got punched in the jaw.”

Minnetonka police are now investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.

Cobalt’s mother said a video police showed them on Wednesday confirmed Cobalt’s story.

“I saw exactly what she described. She comes out of the bathroom and there are these three kids,” Ashley Sovereign said. “They’re clearly walking towards her and around her, and then one of them hits her while she’s just standing there, very hard.”

“I got hit in the jaw and one of my teeth exploded, pieces in my mouth,” Cobalt said. “My jaw was broken in two places… the molar was just shattered.”

There was more than just physical injuries.

“Psychologically, I had some nightmares after the events,” she said.

Cobalt said she wasn’t necessarily afraid to go to the bathroom before the attack.

“It’s not so much fear, it’s more of an incredibly uncomfortable feeling,” she said. “I find it incredibly uncomfortable to be in the men’s room.”

And yet she puts up with that discomfort because we live in a different world. Hopkins does have gender-segregated restrooms, but Cobalt says they’re usually occupied or out of the way, and she has to go where she needs to go.

“I would rather feel uncomfortable than make other people uncomfortable by using the ladies’ room,” she said.

Hundreds gathered outside Hopkins High School on Wednesday to show their support for Cobalt.

And as for her mother, discomfort is just part of being a trans mother; and it comes with unabashed joy and gratitude at being Cobalt’s trans mother.

“Just so lucky. We are all really lucky. Everyone who knows her is lucky,” Ashley said. “It It may be hard for the world to have a transgender child, but it’s not hard for me.”

It is now up to the district attorney to decide on any potential charges. Meanwhile, Hopkins High School confirmed that the student accused of hitting Cobalt will face immediate disciplinary action. School policy is to expel a student from class if a fight occurs. Wednesday was the last day of school for the students this school year.