Trans teenager Georgie Stone named Victoria’s Young Australian of the Year
Image: Georgie Stone. Image: Supplied.
Trans teenager and advocate Georgie Stone has been named the 2018 Victorian Young Australian of the Year, and is now a finalist for the national awards which will be announced on January 25.
At the age of ten, Stone became the youngest person in Australia to be granted permission by a court to take hormone blockers, stage one treatment for young trans people.
It was a landmark case in the Family Court, and since, she’s worked tirelessly to advocate for young trans people to access stage two treatment, which currently requires a costly and dangerous court process.
She also garnered more than 15,000 signatures as part of a petition to allow trans teens to access hormones without going through the court system.
Speaking to the Star Observer at the time, Stone said the court requirement makes young trans people “feel like there is something wrong with us” while delaying necessary treatment.
“Having to go to court is costly, time consuming, and stressful for trans teens and their families,” she said.
Last year she was named Victoria’s LGBTI Person of the Year at the GLOBE Community Awards for her trans advocacy.
After being named Victorian Young Australian of the Year, Stone took to Twitter to express her excitement.
“To be in the very room as all of you was the greatest honour of all,” she said.
Other LGBTI nominees included Magda Szubanski for Victorian Australian of the Year, however actor Samuel Johnson took out the award for his extensive cancer work.
Last year, equality advocate Jason Ball was named Victorian Young Australian of the Year for his work on championing equality in sport.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners tonight. To be in the very room as all of you was the greatest honour of all. And Magda. 😱 https://t.co/zd9w2cSSO9
— Georgie Stone OAM (@georgiestone16) October 26, 2017
