This 17-year-old is changing the lives of transgender children

After becoming the youngest person to receive hormone blockers in Australia at the age of 10, Georgie Stone has gone on to help change the law in Australia for other transgender children and their families when it comes to accessing treatment.

The 17-year-old Victorian was named the Young People's Human Rights Medal winner at the 2017 Human Rights Awards in Sydney on Friday, and says it is an "honour" to wave the flag for transgender children, and be the inspirational figure she wishes had been around when she was growing up.

"There wasn’t really anyone when I was young I could look up to and actually see, 'OK I can make it through this, I can transition, I can be who I am', and so I hope I can be that to other young people," she tells Be.

"I’ve had a few people say that I am [an inspiration] and it feels really good and I’m glad that they have someone [as] just a reminder that they will be OK."

Georgie says she was two-and-a-half years of age when she knew who she really wanted to be, but it took time for her to share that with those around her.

"I first transitioned within family when I was eight and publicly when I was nine," she says, adding, "but I didn’t come out till I was 14".

Back in 2011 at the age of 10, Georgie became the youngest person to receive hormone blockers in Australia.

She went on to commence hormone replacement therapy two years ago at age 15.

The teenager has been praised for her work in helping change the law in Australia requiring transgender children and their families to apply to the Family Court of Australia to access stage one treatment.

Writing on her Change.org petition page which attracted over 15,000 signatures since it was launched last year, Georgie says that, "having to go to court is costly, time consuming and stressful for trans teens and their families".

Her award at Friday's Human Rights Awards is the latest accolade acknowledging her dedication to the cause, after she was also named the Young Australian of the Year in Victoria in October.

Her advice to other transgender children is to believe in one's intuition and seek out support.

"Believe that you are OK and you are not a problem," she says. "And ask for help, try and get help and don’t stress out."

For confidential support, visit http://www.transcendsupport.com.au/resources/ or call Lifeline at 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au

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