WIBTA if I were to continue to try and reach out to a former transgender classmate who “doesn’t want to see me”?

We both had the same name, “Lily”, and we bonded over that in school at first but also over similar hobbies, from ages 13 - 15 we were really good friends who naturally got separated by me changing schools. It’s been three years since then and I (18F) had the idea of reaching out when my mom informed me that she now identifies as male and goes by the name “Leon”.

This really surprised me, we don’t live in America or anything like that at all. In fact, we live in a really homophobic Eastern country. I still asked to reach out to Leon (18M), but I was denied. My mother is a good friend of his aunt and she told me that Leon doesn’t want to see anyone from before he started identifying as a man at all. One of the reasons could also be because I have his former name.

But here’s the thing, I also learned that Leon has no friends now and it’s not for a lack of want, his relationship with his parents is rocky now, too. And the reason specifically being as to why he declined my request to meet was “I don’t want to be a freak-show.” I know it’s serious because I was told he barely leaves the room.

But the thing is, I myself am queer. i can’t tell that or get that message across since my parents are unaware, but I’m the furthest thing from transphobic and I know 99% of people around me are. I really want to keep trying, maybe even join the same band as him (he plays music) because I know I really would be understanding. I know he turned me down, but you have to understand the country we live in and what he must’ve thought..

WIBTA?