Ekai Lersundi
Age 1615 Feb 2018
Ondarroa, Bizkaia (Spain)
Suicide
Ekai died by suicide after the Gender Unit at Cruces Hospital failed to prescribe puberty blockers/hormone therapy.
Ekai was being followed up in the Gender Unit of Cruces Hospital but, despite the struggle of his parents Ana and Elaxar to get a hormonal treatment to stop their development, they had not succeeded. “The protocol is very strict and is conditioned by the opinion of doctors and psychiatrists. Normally, it is authorized from the age of 16 but for Ekai it is late “, denounce from the association, who demand that the start of the transit of these kids to their new identity is not conditioned by medical criteria. Nor did the training that the heads of the Basque Government had promised to give teachers and students of the institute where Ekai studied to avoid misunderstanding and humiliation. “They committed themselves in February of last year and they had not done anything yet.”
“The worst news, but we will continue fighting for the memory of Ekai and for those children and young people who are being denied their identity again and again,” explains Bea Sever, spokesperson for the association that welcomes families of transsexual minors.
Save the Children has also expressed consternation and support for the family, as well as demanding the need to guarantee the sexual identity and non-discrimination of transsexual adolescents. The non-governmental organization recalls that transgender minors are a “particularly vulnerable” group, which is why they deserve “special protection by public administrations”. “This protection must be based on equal treatment and non-discrimination, their mental well-being and respect for their best interests,” it said in a statement.
In February 2020 Ekai's story was documented in the short film "Mi pequeño samurai" ["My little samurai"] at the Gaylesbotrans International Film and Performing Arts Festival in Bilbao.
https://www.elcorreo.com/sociedad/pequeno-gran-samurai-20200218161503-nt.html
https://elpais.com/ccaa/2018/02/16/paisvasco/1518789270_034784.html
http://www.elcorreo.com/bizkaia/ekai-nino-transexual-20180216125040-nt.html
http://chrysalliseh.eus/2018/02/16/con-el-corazon-roto/
https://evarancho.wordpress.com/2018/02/27/in-memoriam-ekai-lersundi-2001-2018/
