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Transsexual teenager suffers broken jaw after attack at high school

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a poster with the inscription “Protect the lives of transsexuals”

A trans teenager had her jaw broken in a transphobic attack at school (Canva)

Police in the state of Minnesota are investigating after a transgender teenager suffered a broken jaw following an attack at school.

The incident occurred at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, 10 miles west of Minneapolis, when 17-year-old Cobalt Sovereign went to the bathroom after school.

Sovereign, who came out as transgender in 2021, said a male student leaned over the cubicle she was using and repeatedly shouted homophobic slurs at her, and when she left, he punched her in the jaw.

In a video interview with Kare 11, Sovereign said: “One of my teeth exploded, there were pieces in my mouth and my jaw was broken in two places… one of my molars at the very top shattered.”

The transgender teenager further said that she had nightmares as a result of the attack.

Although there are gender-segregated restrooms at school, they are often in use and out of the way, she said. She added that while she feels very uncomfortable using the men’s restrooms, she chooses to do so because she would “rather feel uncomfortable than make other people uncomfortable by using the women’s restrooms.”

Speaking to the local press, Sovereign’s brother Wilder said he was disgusted by what had happened.

“She received such severe blows to the jaw and a slashing punch that she later had to be hospitalized and undergo jaw surgery to treat the injury,” he said.

“She has experienced signs of transphobia before, as most, if not all, trans people have. But it was never this bad, it never got to the point where it was an outright attack.”

Students, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies supported Sovereign by holding a rally outside the school on Wednesday (June 5). Fox 9 reported that hundreds of people gathered with Pride flags and messages of love.

Hannah Edwards, director of Transforming Families Minnesota and organizer of the rally, said, “Our transgender youth have a right to protection. They have a right to love, they have a right to safety and equal learning opportunities in their public schools.”

Edwards addressed the transgender youth directly, adding: “You deserve safety. You deserve dignity and a life of opportunity. You are beautiful just the way you are. We want you to know that we are here, we are watching you, and we want to help you get better so this never happens again.”

Former Hopkins High student Jae Bates told Fox 9 that safety was not a major concern for him as a student.

“This never occurred to me in my entire life as a student here,” he said. “And that’s why it saddens me as a trans adult that trans youth today, a decade later, are less safe than I was.”

Freshman Oliver Ridley called the situation crazy, saying, “I don’t want to live in fear. I don’t want any student at this school to live in fear of coming out of the bathroom and breaking their jaw.”

Minnetonka Police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime because it was “an act of violence involving … a student who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.”

District officials declined to comment pending the completion of the investigation, but called the school an “inclusive community that values ​​diversity and inclusion,” adding, “We will address any issues that threaten the safety and inclusivity of our school environment. We support and stand with any group that is marginalized, including our LGBTQ+ students and staff.”

In a letter to families, school principal Crystal Ballard said that while the attack has not yet been officially classified as a hate crime, just the thought of such an attack can be traumatizing, CBS News reported.

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