A N.S. valedictorian comes out during graduation speech. A standing ovation followed | 24CA News
Quinn Legg grew up watching, and dealing alongside, his dad as he mounted automobiles and tinkered with renovation tasks.
The 18-year-old’s early introduction to restore work led to his love for mechanics and he’s now graduated from the Nova Scotia Community College automotive and restore program as valedictorian — with a speech to recollect.
“From a very young age I knew I was very different. The body I was born in does not match who I identify as,” Legg mentioned in his speech on June 16 the place he got here out as trans.
In a later interview, he advised Global News that he knew he was not in the fitting physique at age six and transitioned at 14.
Only Legg’s very shut mates and instructors had recognized he was trans all through the varsity yr.
“I went stealth,” Legg mentioned. “I’m very lucky to pass well, and I kind of experienced a camaraderie, like I said in my speech, with my whole class.”
In a blue-collar commerce like mechanics, Legg observed he wasn’t actually represented and needed to alter that.
“To see somebody like myself be able to thrive in that environment, I think is really important to me, and would also be important to my community as well.”
His speech was met with a standing ovation from classmates — greater than he ever may have anticipated.
“Oh my god, it was an adrenaline that I have never felt before,” Legg mentioned. “I actually kept re-watching my speech over and over for the rest of the day and the next couple days… It was not the reaction that I was preparing myself for for the past couple of months. So, it was an amazing feeling.”
Legg described the sensation like “a warm blanket,” remembering how he began the varsity yr with worry and trepidation.
“Through high school and leading up to going into college I was really, really scared. Like, what’s going to happen if people find out?” Legg mentioned. “To instead be embraced by the blue-collar trade, it was a really nice and warm surprise.”
For Legg’s mom, Alicia Frederick, the enormity of the second had her on the sting of her seat.
“It was surreal. Especially when, multiple times throughout the speech, he got a huge round of applause and cheers,” Frederick recalled.
“I have never felt that kind of pride and warmth and happiness and hope, still vibrating with fear, all at the same time. It was amazing and I’ll never forget it.”
Initially frightened concerning the response the speech would get, Frederick says it felt like she was strolling Legg into the lion’s den.
“A lot of people haven’t been nice throughout this whole thing,” she mentioned. “Once, he did tell me he was definitely going forward with the speech where he comes out to the whole room. I was like, ‘ok, here we go, we’re doing this.’”
And her recommendation for different mother and father trying to help their trans kids: “Don’t let gender get in the way of letting them try to figure out who they are.”
For Legg, he desires his speech to convey hope.
“If I was back at six years old and I saw someone like myself up on that stage being able to give a speech like that and being able to give support… Just to see someone with a voice like that, I think I would have felt safer and came out a lot sooner.”
Now a graduate, Legg is able to work in the direction of turning into a crimson seal technician — following his goals and paving a path ahead.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
