Charlee Disney.Photo: Tommaso Boddi/FilmMagic
Charlee Corra has publicly come out as transgender.
A member of the Disney family, Charlee gave an interview to theLos Angeles Timesthat was published on Sunday, amid the company’s controversy inregards to anti-LGBTQ legislation.
“I had very few openly gay role models,” said Charlee, 30, who is the stepchild of Roy P. Disney,Walt Disney’s great-nephew. “And I certainly didn’t have any trans or nonbinary role models.”
Added the high-school science teacher, who initially came out as transgender four years ago, “I didn’t see myself reflected in anyone, and that made me feel like there was something wrong with me.”
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Charlee Disney.Tommaso Boddi/Getty
The recently passed bill (HB 1557) prohibits discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in primary school classrooms. Florida Gov.Ron DeSantissigned the bill into lawon March 28.
Talking to theTimesof the bullying, suicide, depression and anxietythat LGBTQ kidsoften face, Charlee added, “Then to put something like this law on top of that?”
“They can’t learn about their community and their history at school, or play sports or use the bathroom they want to use?” they said.
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While Charlee admitted they “feel like [they] don’t do very much to help” — “I don’t call senators or take action. I felt like I could be doing more,” they added — they recently made a big donation to theHuman Rights Campaign.
Charlee’s family, including Roy and mom Sheri, announced earlier this month that they would match up to $500,000 in donations to the HRC.
The pledge came after Charlee previously announced one of half that amount, during the HRC’s annual gala in March. The family was moved to donate money of their own after the HRC refused a $5 million donation from the Disney company, asking them todo more outside of financial support.
“Equality matters deeply to us, especially because our child, Charlee, is transgender and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community,” Roy said at the time.
As Sheri told theTimesin the newspaper’s interview published Sunday, “I have a trans kid, and I love my kid no matter what.”
source: people.com
