15-year-old trans advocate Rebekah Bruesehoff was awarded the “Free to Be You and Me Award” at the Ms. Foundation’s Woman of Vision Awards in New York City on Tuesday evening. Bruesehoff was among Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, who was given the “Women of Vision Award.” The event held at Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan also marked the 50th anniversary of the nation’s oldest women’s foundation.
Bruesehoff socially transitioned at eight years old and began her advocacy journey in 2017 when she spoke with her mother at a rally in Jersey City, New Jersey when guidelines for transgender students were repealed. She went viral when her mother posted a photo of her holding a sign that said, “I’m the scary transgender person the media warned you about.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CpRV-5IuwXL/She has since spoken at many events in front of large audiences, continuing to advocate for transgender and non-binary youth in athletics, schools and healthcare.
“I encourage all of you to use your voices in your communities to say that trans kids are just like all other kids,” Bruesehoff said in her acceptance speech. “And like all other kids, they need our support, right now more than ever.”
The event also honored Meghan, Duchess of Sussex with the Women of Vision Award. The Foundation’s co-founder, Gloria Steinem, presented her the award for “her global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls.”
Meghan and Prince Harry provided nearly 13 million COVID-19 vaccines through their Archewell Foundation and their partner Global Citizen. They also helped to resettle nearly 175,000 refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine in the U.S. with partner Welcome US, according to its 2022 report.
Also honored at the event were Wanda Irving, co-founder of Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project, and Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of URGE, as well as abortion rights activist Olivia Julianna and Latosha Brown.
Teresa C. Younger, Ms. Foundation president and CEO, said in a statement that the honorees were celebrated for “their many accomplishments and tireless work on behalf of gender and racial equity across the country and the world.”
