Trans teen attacked in boy’s bathroom left hospitalized with broken jaw

A transgender teen was attacked by a fellow student last Thursday when she used a boys’ bathroom at her high school. The assault left her with a broken jaw and hospitalized for two days.

Cobalt Sovereign, a 17-year-old girl and high school junior, was in a boys’ bathroom at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota when a male student peered over the stall she was using and began taunting her with a homophobic slur, she said.

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As she was leaving, the boy sucker-punched her in the face.

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“One of my teeth exploded, there was pieces in my mouth and my jaw was broken in two places,” Sovereign told KARE 11 News. “One of my molars up in the top shattered.” She cannot eat solid foods

Police are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.

A rally at the high school on Wednesday drew hundreds of supporters for Sovereign and trans rights. Among the speakers was out Minnesota State Rep. Brion Curran (D), who told LGBTQ Nation she was disturbed by the school’s inaction following the attack.

“It’s bad enough that they were left with a broken jaw that required surgery,” Curran said of the victim. “But no ambulance was called. Police weren’t called. And so, certainly the lack of response from the school is concerning. They didn’t really have a response to it until they learned of a large rally that was planned.”

“Don’t mess with our family,” Curran added, “because we’re watching and we’ll hold people accountable.”

Family of 17 y.o. Cobalt Sovereign have shared this photo- Sovereign, a trans girl and HS Jr, suffered broken jaw, teeth and possible TBI after an incident PD is investigating as a “possible hate crime” at Hopkins High School on 5/30. Fam says she was called slur, attacked. @wcco pic.twitter.com/UlRJvLvnIu

— Adam Duxter (@AdamDuxter) June 5, 2024

Speaking to local press, Sovereign’s brother Wilder said he was outraged by the hateful assault on his sister.

“She was punched in the jaw and sucker punched so badly that she had to go to the hospital later and receive jaw surgery to treat the damage,” he said. “She’s experienced glimmers of transphobia before, as most if not all trans people do. But it’s never been this bad, it’s never gone to the point of full-on assault.”

Sovereign said she used a boy’s restroom because the school’s gender-inclusive bathrooms are often in use and out of the way. She said she would “rather be uncomfortable than make other people uncomfortable by using the women’s [bathroom].”

Police and school officials haven’t released any information about the identity of Sovereign’s attacker.

Hannah Edwards, a rally organizer and director of Transforming Families Minnesota, told the rally attendees, “Our trans youth deserve protection. They deserve love, they deserve safety and an equal opportunity to learn at their public schools.”

“You are worthy of dignity and a life full of opportunities,” Edwards told Sovereign and her trans youth supporters. “You are beautiful just as you are.”

District officials declined to comment on Sovereign’s attack but described Hopkins High as an “inclusive community that values diversity and inclusion.”

A district statement added, “We will address any issues that compromise the safety and inclusivity of our school environment. We support and stand by any group that is marginalized, including our LGBTQ+ scholars and staff.”

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