"Now everyone knows there are transgender teens in Fort Worth. Some students thought I was gay, and I would say I’m not gay, I’m transgendered. They had no knowledge what it meant… They are trying to understand what it means and understand how I feel. They are asking me questions, doing their own research. They’re on the Internet. In some ways, I’m a teacher."
—
15 year old transwoman, Rochelle Evans (via Transgender teen free to be herself | Dallas Morning News)
To me, this is why being out is so important.
(This article is also an example of a news outlet actually writing a trans story correctly, and is one I recommend reading.)