The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder
Countless anti-LGBTQ+ attacks occur worldwide each year. Whether it’s a deadly shooting or hateful comments in the classroom, discrimination against LGBTQ+ people persists despite strong advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights.

Targeted for existing

Addie Gleason, Managing Editor-in-Chief • April 24, 2023

Slurs and hateful words are spray-painted across colorful pride murals. Articles flood news sites as another LGBTQ+ club shooting is announced. Books are pulled off of shelves, and inclusive movies cause...

Missouri residents gather to protest the signing of an anti-trans bill proposed by the Republican Senate. The proposed bill would ban transgender girls from participating in youth sports on girls teams. “At least in the past, laws have only tried to prevent transgender [students] from participating in certain activities, which is already scary,” senior Quinn Gilles said. “Transgender minors barely have any rights, [but] when you thought it couldn’t get worse, now laws are preventing us from being ourselves.”

Protect our transgender youth

Pathfinder Editorial Board • March 31, 2023

Living one's truth is a fundamental right, but for many transgender youths in our community, this prerogative is becoming a privilege. Stigma, unsupportive families and hate crimes are already significant...

The Save Women's Sports Act is a bill proposed to ban transgender women from competing in sports from middle school to college. Ten states have already enacted similar policies, Missouri becoming the 11th on August 28.

Save Women’s Sports Act changes the game for Missouri’s trans athletes

Triya Gudipati, Editor-in-Chief • June 2, 2022

Save Women’s Sports, a term coined by those who oppose transgender women competing in women’s sports is becoming law. On March 2, State Senator Mike Moon of the 29th Senatorial District proposed the...

Media plays a significant role in creating, shaping and reflecting society's prejudices.

Prejudice in the media

Sarah Boland, Staff Writer • December 17, 2021

The United States, along with various other countries, has seen an uptick in hate crimes in recent years. The most recent data published by the FBI reported 7,314 hate crimes in 2019. This is the highest...

Holding up the transgender pride flag, senior Tony Morse takes a picture in his binder. He got the flag towards the end of middle school. “The flag for me is a symbol of pride,” Morse said. “It reminds myself and others of who I truly am. I am wearing a binder in my photo; I used to be very very self conscious of letting others know I used a binder. Now, I am comfortable enough to post pictures of me in it and wear it out in the open. I feel as if I pass enough. Once I get top surgery, I am so excited to not have to deal with wearing the chest binder. It definitely takes a toll on me having to wear it. It gets physically uncomfortable and I long for the day when I can put on a shirt without having to put it on first, as well as being able to take off my shirt and be proud and comfortable.”

7. The battle to become a man; four years later

Zoe DeYoung, Staff Writer • April 16, 2020

As a seventh grader, senior Tony Morse decided that after years of gender dysphoria, he would take the leap to come out as a transgender male. He cut his hair short and kickstarted the long process of...