Transgender woman's final message

Ashley Hallstrom's message asks others to help fix society's view of trans people. Photo / Facebook

A 26-year-old transgender woman left a heartfelt message before she died in Logan, Utah last week.

Earlier that morning, Ashley Hallstrom posted a final message on Facebook expressing her frustration with society's treatment of transgender individuals.

In the message, Hallstrom explains her struggle growing up as transgender, dealing with being called a "freak" and an "abomination" and the toll this took on her mental health.

She details her decision to begin transitioning when she was 20, saying "for the first time in my life I could say I was genuinely happy".

Despite this, Hallstrom says she could never move on from the depression being transgender caused. "I saw the pain it caused to people like me and going though this same hurt myself it has just become to much for me to take anymore [sic]."

But Hallstrom says she wrote her message in the hope it would reach others and help make a change:

"People need to know that I'm not just another face of someone they never met. I was alive. I have a family and friends that I love very much and I'm so sorry to them for the hurt this will cause them... I believe my last words can help make the change that society needs to make so that one day there will be no others like me."

Asking others to share her story, the message has been shared almost 2,000 times on Facebook.

Ashley's message:

These are going to be my final words. I can't stand to live another day, so I'm committing suicide. The reason why I've decided to do this is because I'm transgender. For those of you that unsure of what that means, it means that even though I was born in a male body, I am and have always been female. I've known I was female for as far back as I can remember. This caused me to become severely depressed from a very young age. From a very young age I was told that people like me are freaks and abominations, that we are sick in the head and society hates us. This made me hate who I was. I tried so hard to be just like everyone else but this isn't something you can change.

Ashley Hallstrom

Where to get help:

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• The Word
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• CASPER Suicide Prevention
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

- nzherald.co.nz