Jennifer Lopez’s gender fluid teenage relative will be honored at the Trevor Project gala for their role in the LGBTQ community.
Brendon Scholl, whose mom is Lopez’ sister, is just 17 and has already become an activist and the star of a documentary entitled Draw With Me, which shares their transgender journey.
On Monday the high school junior will also be the guest of honor at the annual gala, which raises awareness for suicide and crisis prevention for LGBTQ teens.
The teenager, from Westchester, New York, came out as trans three years ago, but their identity progression hasn’t been easy.
Jennifer Lopez’ sister’s child Brendon Scholl, 17, (above) has become a prominent activist in the LGBTQ community
Scholl, whose mother is JLO’s sister, uses art to express themselves, pictured in a scene from the documentary they star in entitled Draw With Me
This is me: The teen came out as trans three years ago and goes by they/their pronouns
Born Rebecca, the teen said they began to feel confused with their identity around sixth grade, according to the New York Post.
‘I would Google, “Why do I feel like this?” in sixth grade, being Rebecca felt weird,’ Scholl said.
While out bra shopping with their mother, Lopez’s sister Leslie Ann, Scholl said they wanted to buy a binder to flatten their breasts rather than buy a bra.
‘Don’t you want to be a girl?’ their mom said.
‘I’m not a girl, Mom,’ Scholl, 14 at the time, said.
Soon after that incident Scholl attempted suicide and posted ‘Everything was weighing on me so much, I couldn’t handle it’ on social media.
Shattered, their mother found a therapist that specializes in trans children.
‘All I wanted to do was get help for my child,’ she said to The Post.
‘We had to mourn the loss of our daughter,’ she added on accepting Rebecca’s transition into Brendon, a name chosen after bisexual Panic! at the Disco band member Brendon Urie.
Proud superstar aunt JLO gushed about Scholl on Instagram last July when they were selected to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC
JLO pictured with her sister and Scholl’s mother Leslie Ann (left), and her other sister Lynda (right)
She says although ‘it took a couple years’ to accept, ‘they’re still the same person – the core didn’t change’.
Since transitioning, Scholl feels has become an LGBTQ advocate and activist and now goes by they/their.
Scholl hasn’t had any medical treatment and is waiting until they turn 18 to get hormones and surgery to reduce breast tissue.
Proud aunt Lopez took to Instagram to praise Scholl last July after they were selected to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC.
‘I couldn’t be more proud!!! Brendon is strong and smart and loving and a obviously a leader!! Titi Jenn loves you!!’ she wrote on Instagram.
The singer was praised for her use of gender neutral pronoun ‘they’ and encouraged a discussion about identity.
Scholl was touched by the comments on the post that congratulated the teenager for their accomplishments.
‘When I saw the post, I was smiling like a complete doofus. I was so happy that other family members support my identity and support how I feel,’ they said.
The teen, born Rebecca, says their transgender journey has been a difficult one but is thankful for a strong support group of family and friends
They hope their story can inspire other struggling LGBTQ teens saying: ‘I’m in such a better place than I was a few years ago. All you hear are the horror stories…but you don’t hear about the successful or hopeful ones’
Although Scholl feels self conscious with their appearance, saying ‘I [can’t] stand to look at myself in the mirror. I avoid it like the plague’, they say they are in a good place.
‘I’m in such a better place than I was a few years ago. All you hear are the horror stories — of trans people getting kicked out of their homes, getting murdered, sent to conversion counseling — but you don’t hear about the successful or hopeful ones. Maybe the world isn’t all horrible,’ they said.
Scholl’s emotional transitional journey became the subject of the film Draw With Me directed by Constantine Venetopoulos, which will be displayed in festivals this fall.
Producer Marco Maranghello said he was inspired by Scholl.
‘Brendon is going to light the way for so many kids. I wish I knew Brendon when I was a teenager to help me with my own struggles,’ Maranghello said.
As for the future, the teenager plans to study animal science and college.
‘I don’t care if the world is ready for me or not — I’m ready,’ they said.