Remembering Our Dead

TDoR 2021 / 2020 / December / 15 / Luna Avril Mabchour

Luna Avril Mabchour

Age 17 (born 17 Jan 2003)

15 Dec 2020
Lille, Nord (France)
Suicide

Luna died by suicide in her foster home. On Wednesday 2nd December a school administrator had publicly humiliated her and and sent her home for wearing a skirt.

[Deadname], a trans student from Lille France took her life on December 15, 2020, after being kicked out of class for wearing a denim skirt. In a video, filmed by [deadname] herself, we hear a woman, identified by the students as the CPE (Principal Education Advisor) at Fénélon high school, berate her. The exchange is tense.

“But I understand your desire to be yourself, I understand that very well! And all this is done to accompany you as best as possible, that’s what you don’t understand! Because once again he there are sensitivities that are not the same. ” [deadname], in tears, defends herself: “But it is they who must not be educated!” “I agree.” replies the adult. “I don’t see where the problem really is. I would never understand” concludes the young girl. The video has a photo where [deadname] is wearing a simple denim skirt, with the caption “I was dressed like this.”

On December 2, [Luna], a trans student, was sent home because she was wearing a skirt. The school administrator picked her out in class, humiliating her in front of everyone. She was taken to the CPE office where she was psychologically assaulted. It was made clear to her that she was not a “real woman” and that she could not wear a skirt. She was sent home.

Students say staff at Fénélon high school knew she was transgender. But they were afraid of how the public would perceive them if [deadname] was allowed to transition.

Some of her classmates knew her as Avril, some as Luna and some by her deadname. After her exclusion they protested by putting up posters and coming into class wearing skirts themselves.

[Luna] lived in a foster home because her parents kicked her out when she announced her transition. She was completely accepted and felt good in her foster home.

On December 3, students from Fénélon high school put up posters in their high school to denounce this transphobic exclusion. The posters were removed the same day by the management.

On December 5, almost all of the students came in skirts to show her that they were completely supportive.

“Transphobia kills and it took away a friend of mine today. [Luna] I’m so sorry for everything they did to you. I fought by your side and I will continue to fight for you. You were a great person I’m glad I got to know you,” a friend of hers said on Twitter.

Today the students of Fénelon high school in Lille gathered. Discrimination against transgender youth creates a profound misbehavior. This needs to stop. At present, the Minister of Education has not even said a word about this ...

Luna was being supported by Association En-Trans Lille. She had started HRT four months earlier, was investigating laser hair removal and intended to file for a change in her civil status in January.

Luna Avril Mabchour

Trigger warning