TRENDING

Rebekah Bruesehoff is a real-life hero. The 13-year-old LGBTQ activist uses her platform (which includes more than 15,000 followers on Instagram) to make changes in public policy, raise awareness for LGBTQ youth (and adults), and to generally spread hope in the world.  And honestly, couldn't we all use a little extra dose of hope right now? 

If Rebekah looks familiar, it might be because you've seen her on Disney+, where she was chosen as one of the incredible, real-life heroes (remember—we said she was one) spotlighted as part of Marvel’s Hero Project. Check out a clip from her episode, “The Mighty Rebekah”, below: 

We caught up with Rebekah, who is social distancing like the rest of us. Unlike most of us, however, Rebekah isn't letting a little thing like a mandatory quarantine stop her heroic ways. Here, she opens up about her own journey to activism—and her personal tips for how you can make a difference in the world too. Like, right now, even when the world is all kinds of topsy-turvy. 

Girls' Life: Introduce yourself to the world in one sentence. 

Rebekah Bruesehoff: I’m a transgender youth activist working to spread hope and make the world a safer and more welcoming place for all people.

GL: Tell us—how did you get involved with the Marvel Hero Project? 

RB: They reached out to my mom and said they were doing a docu-series on kids making a difference in their communities. I had no idea it had anything to do with Marvel until the very end of filming. It was a big surprise. 

GL: How did you get started with activism? 

RB: When the federal administration rescinded the guidance for transgender students in schools, it was really upsetting and scary. My mom offered to speak at a rally and they said that I could speak too! That rally was the first time I spoke in public, but it’s also where I first heard the stories of other transgender youth. So many LGBTQ+ youth have to fight for the right to be themselves in their homes, schools, and communities. I have all this love and support. I wanted to use my voice and privilege to help others understand that LGBTQ+ kids are just like other kids. I wanted to spread a message of hope to people who are struggling.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Rebekah Bruesehoff (@therealrebekah) on Mar 31, 2020 at 8:05am PDT

GL: What is the most rewarding thing about being an activist? 

RB: The most rewarding thing about being an activist is seeing the positive impact my work has on people from all over the world. It makes me so happy to see youth empowered to show up more fully as themselves or to make a positive difference in their own communities. It’s amazing to see the ripple effect.

GL: What's the most challenging thing about being an activist? 

RB: It’s really hard to juggle being an activist with my everyday life as a 7th grader. There are times when I can’t hang out with my friends or I struggle to get school work done because of advocacy work. But really, that’s a small sacrifice knowing that other kids aren’t safe in their homes or their schools. It’s also hard to deal with people who don’t get it or say negative things. But I really just focus on the positive and lean on my friends and family for support.

GL: What advice do you have for other young people who want to get involved in activism, but are nervous to take the plunge and put themselves out there for a cause? 

RB: Start small. It’s easy to get this giant big idea in your head and have it feel so impossible. You can make an impact with small actions. Start with your family, your friends, or your school. It grows from there. I also think you should start by learning as much as you can about your cause. When you combine knowledge with your passion, it’ll be easier to find the next right step and get people on board. It can be hard, but don’t get discouraged. The positive impact on yourself and the world is worth it.  

GL: How can people be good activists right now, when so many people are practicing social distancing and self-isolation? 

RB: Now is a great time to learn! If you have extra time because you can’t do the things you normally do, dive into research. Learn more about topics you care about. Read people’s stories. It’s a great time to have conversations. Even though, we’re physically apart, technology means we can still connect.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Rebekah Bruesehoff (@therealrebekah) on Feb 19, 2020 at 4:22am PST

GL: You've been homeschooled for a while now, but a lot of people are new to distance learning and doing school work from home. What advice do you have for kids who are dealing with homeschooling for the first time and struggling? 

RB: We’re all struggling. This is hard. I also feel like it’s important to say this isn’t like typical homeschooling. I was homeschooled for a year, but I got to go places and hang out with friends all the time. This is so much harder. My advice is to talk to your teachers if you have questions, reach out to your friends for support, and just know that it’s not just you. This is just really hard. We’re all in this together. 

GL: How do you stay positive and kind when other people are being anything but to you? 

RB: I just don’t let that stuff in. If I did, it would really hard. So I mostly ignore it and focus on the positive. People who are mean are usually hurting in some way or they just don’t understand. That’s about them, not me. I lean on my close friends and my family when things are hard. I like to laugh a lot - whether it’s goofing off with my friends, playing with my little brother, or watching a funny movie. Laughter is good. 

GL: If you could wave a magic wand and make everyone in the world understand one thing about your experience as a member of the LGBTQ community, what would it be and why?

RB: I really just want people to understand that LGBTQ people are just like other people. It sounds so simple, but that’s really what it’s all about. We’re just living our lives. We’re also different and interesting and unique, just like people who are not LGBTQ. We’re not all the same.

GL: Other than Marvel's Hero Project (because, duh, it's amazing!) what are the streaming shows or movies you'd recommend that everyone take the time to watch during this time of social isolation? 
 
RB: My whole family really likes the Just Add Magic series on Amazon Prime. It was great, because we all enjoyed it. The Great British Baking Show and Nailed It are two of my favorites on Netflix. Buddy versus Duff on the Food Network is super fun too. My brothers are super into Lego Masters right now, and I really like it, too! Plus if you haven’t watched Frozen 2, you obviously should!
 

Follow Rebekah on Instagram at @therealrebekah.

by Kayleigh R. | 4/15/2020