Born Joshua Ryan Alcorn, this American transgender teen tragically committed suicide at the age of 17, explaining on her Tumblr blog that her act was partially an attempt to bring to light the lack of societal support for transgender people.
A year before her suicide, she asked her parents for permission to medically transition from male to female, but was instead forced to undergo conversion therapy.
Following Leelah Alcorn's suicide, the Transgender Human Rights Institute petitioned for the creation of 'Leelah's Law,' which would place a federal ban on conversion therapy for transgender people.
She and her three siblings grew up in a highly religious family in Ohio and attended Cincinnati's Northeast Church of Christ. Her parents, Doug and Carla Alcorn, refused to accept her female transgender identity.
She and web star Cassidy Campbell both raised awareness for the struggles of transgender people.