The parents of a Boise High School student are speaking out about her death by suicide, discussing the societal pressures facing teens like their daughter, May Pollard, 16, who died in January. May’s parents, Elyse Thorpe and Joseph Pollard, shared their story with NBC News, highlighting the challenges their daughter faced as a transgender student.

Challenges Faced by Transgender Students

May had been involved in Idaho’s debate over transgender policy, challenging Senate Bill 1100, a 2023 law requiring students to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender assigned at birth. In a court document, May expressed her concerns about using the single-user restroom, stating, “I don’t want people to know I am transgender without my consent — even students who might be friendly. For me, it is not a part of myself I talk about or that I feel is the most important part of my identity.”

Attorneys for the state and Boise High’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance agreed to close the lawsuits in May, and the law is now in effect. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador stated, “From the district court to the Ninth Circuit, we defended Idaho’s right to protect students’ privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms. Idaho families can be confident that this law is fully in effect and will remain so.” However, Labrador’s statement did not mention May’s death by suicide, which her parents believe was related to the societal pressures she faced.

Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.