A 16-year-old transgender boy in Bellingham, Washington was beaten by a group of fellow students who were shouting transphobic slurs.
“It took me a few days to realize the gravity that my child was beat because they are transgender,” said Alyssa Ruben, the victim’s mother, to Komo News. “The children who attacked my kid should have been expelled immediately.”
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The student reported the incident to the school on October 22. Shortly after, Ruben went to the school to demand that they contact the police.
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“Nobody says anything, nobody knows about it so they just keep doing what they’re doing with no accountability — and that’s going to stop with me,” she said.
Police spokeswoman Megan Peters told The Bellingham Herald, “The juvenile victim reported that the group shouted anti-trans phrases at them while they were shoved and hit. The victim was able to run away and seek refuge at (Bellingham High School) and report the assault. Investigation is ongoing,”
Her child is being sent to Seattle Children’s Hospital due to severe concussion symptoms.
“It’s not over, and if they have a traumatic brain injury, the effects could be lifelong,” she said.
Police and medical aid were only called after the child’s mother arrived.
“If I had not insisted that (school officials call 911) multiple times, they wouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have had to ask. I felt that the fact that they didn’t call 911 is an absolute dereliction of their duty,” she said to Bellingham Herald. She reports that the school district has repeatedly been problematic in their handling of queer children.
The incident gained traction online after Ruben posted about it on her TikTok. A video was additionally revealed to the public after one of the attackers filmed them attacking the student.
“We actually have about 45 seconds of one of the videos that was recorded by one of the assailants,” said Lance Preston, the executive director of the Rainbow Youth Project, to Komo News. “Just in the short few seconds that we have, it was horrendous, it was horrific.”
“We are very impressed with the Bellingham police department, the detective there is doing everything he can to hold these people accountable,” he continued. “If we let those incidents slide, we’re basically making a statement to these young people that it’s ok or it’s acceptable. It really leaves victims feeling worthless and like they’re not important and their life does not matter.”
Bellingham High School Principal Mark Atkins said in a letter to parents:
“We want to assure you that we take any allegations of violence and hate-motivated behavior very seriously. Incidents of hate speech and behavior are not only unacceptable but also have lasting and harmful impacts on our community. We are committed to healing and educating to strengthen and diversify our next generation of leaders. Our policies reflect this commitment, and we will continue to implement measures that promote respect, understanding, and safety for all students.”
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