Teen Vogue readers told Trump's executive order banning gender transitions for minors is a 'death sentence'

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

In her biography for the Stonewall Initiative, Torres is described as an activist and "proud alumni of the nation's first fully accredited LGBTQIA+ high school, The Harvey Milk High School."

"These Executive Orders create an even larger target on their backs for cisgender students to continue attacking and harming transgender youth, further pushing them towards self harm, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and in some cases, suicide," Torres said. "Gender affirming care is often the only shred of hope and joy that our vulnerable youth can hold onto."

"Gender-affirming care is lifesaving, and I can personally speak to that experience," she told Teen Vogue. 

Torres said that transgender youth are subject to "relentless bullying in schools and [trans youth] are at high risk of suicide as a result of the attacks on their identity."

Meanwhile, Torres said trans youth "are afraid for their very lives." She described one "heartbreaking" interview of someone "afraid of being murdered in public because she's trans." 

"That should send shivers down the spines of everyone," she said.

"My biggest advice to the trans youth out there is seek out your community, because we're out here," Torres said. "You have a community of people who love you, who are rallying around you, who support you."