By Cobalt Sovereign, a 17-year-old transgender student at Hopkins High School in Minnesota, suffered a brutal assault that left her jaw broken in two places after using the men’s bathroom. The incident occurred on May 30 when Sovereign, who uses she/her pronouns, was confronted by a fellow student who had peered into the stall she was using.
Speaking to KARE, Sovereign recounted the horrifying experience: “In the bathroom, he had looked over the stall directly where I was attempting to use the bathroom, and that is where he initially called me a f—– in the first place.” As she left the stall and walked out of the bathroom, the assailant was waiting for her and allegedly punched her in the face, breaking her jaw in two places and shattering a tooth.
Sovereign was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent a lengthy surgery to have three titanium plates fitted in her jaw. She described the unprovoked nature of the attack, stating, “He had no reason to have anything against me, I’ve never talked to him, never done anything negative to him. And I was insulted and then eventually hit in the jaw.”
While the school offers gender-neutral bathrooms, they are often busy or inconveniently located. Sovereign expressed her discomfort with using the men’s restroom but said she would rather be uncomfortable herself than make others uncomfortable by using the women’s bathroom.
The assault has left Sovereign traumatized, experiencing nightmares and facing months of additional treatment and surgeries. The school has taken disciplinary action against the alleged assailant, and the Minnetonka police are investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for Hopkins Public Schools confirmed that the district and police are investigating “an act of violence that occurred last Thursday and involved a student who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.” They emphasized the school’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, stating, “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.”
The shocking assault on Cobalt Sovereign highlights the ongoing challenges and risks faced by transgender students in educational settings. It underscores the urgent need for schools to create safe, inclusive environments that protect and support all students, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. As the investigation continues, the community rallies around Sovereign, offering support and demanding justice for this horrific act of violence.
