Students at the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts selected Maka Brown for their prom queen last weekend. Maka is believed to be the first transgender student to be so honored.
Maka is a senior focusing on dance at the school.
Maka Brown said being crowned prom queen is a big step, as she struggled with her identity for several years. Although she did not have a label for how she felt, she “knew that [she] was different and that [she] didn’t fit in."
At the age of 16, Maka read an article that changed her life. The article, which was about transgender teens, helped Maka put a name to her unfamiliar feelings. It also gave her the courage to come out to her family and friends.
I was taken aback and fought it at first. I thought, 'She's such a young age – she'll grow out of it. I sent Maka to a therapist, thinking they could cure her.
--Toni Brown, Maka's mother
When Toni learned of the high rate of suicide among transgender teens, she changed her outlook.
It suddenly all clicked for me. It hit me that if a child is going through emotional pain, you just need to love them. They need to know they're getting support from the people they're closest to.
--Toni Brown
Toni is a freelance photographer. Maka's father, Gary, is a farrier. Toni and Gary are divorced.
Maka's mom and I divorced when she was young, but I still see Maka often and I've always thought she was a sweet soul and very kind to everyone. Growing up, I could always tell she was a little different, so I wasn't really surprised when she told me [she was transgender]. She's a good kid and I'm proud of her.
--Gary Brown
She's an amazing person—I'm so glad this happened for her, because I look up to her so much. We're both dance students and Maka has broken a lot of boundaries in our school. We're all proud of her.
--Sophomore dance student Kat Jackson
How could we not be accepting? The students who walk through our doors are a melting pot of personality types, genders, ethnicities, and religious convictions. They are blossoming dancers, actors, musicians and scholars. We value Maka and all of our students for who they are.
--SPA vice-principal Ron Literall
Maka works at the Utah Flying Trapeze Entertainment Center. She is an expert juggler and acrobat, who also performs on the trapeze and German wheel. She wants to travel the world as a circus performer.
I know it's an unusual job, but then, I'm an unusual person. That's something to celebrate. I'm so happy with my life now. It's all going fine.
--Maka Brown
If you are not familiar with the German wheel, here's a video of a performance (not Maka):