Joshua Ryan Alcorn, known to many as a brave and heartfelt voice for transgender youth, was an American teenager whose life ended far too soon at just 17 years old. She had shared deeply personal thoughts on her Tumblr blog before her passing, where she expressed that her decision was, in part, a cry for awareness about the overwhelming lack of support transgender individuals face in society. Her story, heartbreaking and powerful, continues to resonate with so many who reflect on the struggles she endured.

Before her name became widely recognized in conversations about LGBTQ+ rights, Joshua—often referred to with love and respect by those who knew her journey—had reached out to her parents a year prior, asking for permission to begin medical transition from male to female. Tragically, instead of receiving the support she needed, she was subjected to conversion therapy, a practice widely discredited and condemned by mental health professionals.

Growing up in Ohio with three siblings, Joshua was raised in a deeply religious household. The family regularly attended the Northeast Church of Christ in Cincinnati, a community that shaped much of her early environment. Despite living within such a structured faith-based setting, Joshua found the courage to confront her identity, even when met with resistance. Her parents, Doug and Carla Alcorn, struggled to accept her truth, ultimately refusing to acknowledge her identity as a transgender girl.

Today, remembering Joshua means honoring her pain, her bravery, and the urgent need for compassion and understanding. Her life, though cut short, has become a pivotal reminder of what’s at stake when love and acceptance are withheld. In speaking her name—Joshua Ryan Alcorn—we keep her memory alive and amplify the call for change she hoped to inspire.