terrett bazley, al jazeera. >> a reminder you can keep up-to-date with all of the news including all of our science and technology news on our website at aljazeera.com. >> on "america tonight." transgender in texas. the fight over rights that led to a bathroom door and the challenges faced even those in transition at 12. >> i think social transition is the the hardest part. the physical part can be changed by hormone blockers or testosterone or estrogen. all that can be changed. if you can tell a friend and they don't want to be friends with you, there's basically no fixing that.

>> we look at transgender issues but then, a star's death, raising a alarming issue. robin williams wife says he knew he was losing his mind and took his own life, to control his own end. "america tonight" examines this issue. >> elizabeth wallner loves bringing fruits and vegetables to her garden hoping it avoid her bringing her own death. >> there's never a moment when i don't have cancer. it's hard to make plans or think far ahead in the future.

>> you got a lot to say, kid. >> reporter: at 47 her life was turned upside down. a single mother in sacramento was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. how severe was the diagnose? >> no one really said anything. i went into my colon surgeon, said i have a 15-year-old son, i said what am i dealing with? he said he would give me no more than 18 months to live. so it's pretty severe. >> do you mind showing me the scarring? her teenage son stayed by her side when she got severely ill from chemotherapy. >> knowing my son has been and would have been the most impacted by this, is by far the worst part. i mean death for person who's dying it's like well it's over.

so -- but you know leaving a 15-year-old kid on his own, the idea is unimaginable. >> wallner was a plaintiff in a california lawsuit suing for right to die with physician-prescribed medication. after a long legislative debate california governor jerry brown recently signed right to die into law. wallner says it's up to her to decide if and when the time is right. >> i don't have any faith in palliative care. after one of the surgeries my lungs started filling one fluid and they went to put a drain in my lungs. i was literal in surgery knocked out and i was screaming in pain. and that's how i want -- i don't want to end my life that way and i absolutely don't want my son to see me that way. i don't want my final days to be hell.

i want my final days to be as happy as possible. i want to live my life until it's no long -- until the bad outweighs the good. >> reporter: for last four years wallner has been beating the odds. since her last treatment in the spring she doesn't know if her cancer is growing again or not. but she says she's prepared for whatever happens. >> i don't know any terminal patient who wants to die. i just think we just don't want to drag our death out. we're going to die. if it comes to that point where there's no more that i can do, my body is failing, my organs are shutting down, all that's left is to die, and it can be slow and painful or under my terms. >> so why all the fresh produce? >> because i think that it probably supports my health and healing. >> reporter: wallner is still fighting to save her life.

weekly trips to a famplers farmers markets, feeding her body, choosing for herself. >> every time i have a procedure with untold amounts of policing, so i really honestly don't know what i would do. but i'm not going to -- it won't be a slow, painful death. not going to happen. >> you're going to control it if you can? >> yep. absolutely . >> "america tonight's" adam may is here with us. governor brown signed that legislation, that solves the situation in california? >> no, it does not. the reason they're still proceeding with the lawsuit,

there is opposition in california, that opposition has the opportunity to call for a ballot initiative. the earl yes, sir i earliest it would come into law would be in december 2016. that is too long for them to wait, they feel they could be in pain and want to make that situation sooner. >> we are reminded what a great comedian robin williams, how his end was affected? >> if this legislation would have changed his mind, who knows? the journal of psychology found that adults over 50 who killed themselves had underlying medical issue it's a cause and

the older people get the study found the more likely they are to take their own lives if they have a serious illness. in the 70s this is the vast majority of suicides are linked to those who have illnesses. we spoke to a widow of dick mallory, a congress imran, he took his own life he was in a state where they did not have right to die legislation at the time. >> heartbreaking for their families as well. "america tonight's" adam may, thank you. next on "america tonight," a fight for rights and the dividing line that goes beyond the restroom door. later brothers in arms and beyond, support that no one >> we're here to fully get into the nuances of everything that's going on, not just in this country, but around the world. >> ...as if there were no cameras here, would be the best solution.

>> this goes to the heart of the argument >> to tell you the stories that others won't cover. how big do you see this getting? getting the news from the people who are affected. >> people need to demand reform... >> we're here to provide the analysis... the context... and the reporting that allows you to make sense of your world. >> ali velshi on target only on al jazeera america

>> in the end the line between transgender rights and a conservative community came down to just one thing: the bathroom. houston voters struck down a bill, that would allow men into women's bathrooms. questions about transgender

rights, it can start at age. christof putzel found when he met young people in transition at 12. >> he rides scooters and rough-houses with his friends. but unlike most boys he is biologically a girl. evan has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a condition where one's psychological identity is opposite to one's sex. like many transgender children evan suffered from depression, even at times felt suicidal. the feeling of being trapped in the wrong body and no one understanding was almost too much to bear. >> we're trying to pigeonholing him into tomboy. and it's not working. we bond and bought him like this $100 bike from whatever sport store. and he doesn't want it.

>> i said i don't want the bike. it was too girlie. i didn't want it. it was pink with flames on it. and so i was like giving it to zena ike. , no i'm a boy. >> i'm like woof, i get it. he's been saying it for five years in english but now i get it. i kept trying to make him not be a boy. >> he says oh you mean you're like a boy. that switch flipped in her head. she's not like, you can't be trans. >> i'm like i'm sorry, i get it. >> the hair was cut. the clothes changed and mom and dad began using the male pronoun and ev evie became evan.

>> until that moment he was sullen hostile but the proof is he became a much easier kid to raise. everything seemed the soften for evan when we started the transition for him. >> the change in evan's emotional state was dramatic. but when his family came around the kids at school were a different story. >> there's no physical violence but there's huge mental. they hurt my feelings. not just my feelings. like they tried so hard to make me break down, or do something. >> and school wouldn't be his only challenge. another transition was fast approaching. one evan and his parents deeply feared. the onset of puberty. because evan is biologically female it would mine evan would look more and

more female ever day. >> i was desperate. i panicked. >> how many doctors did you call? >> i know i called over 100. >> over 100? >> i'm not exaggerating when i told you we called all states, we couldn't find anyone. >> birch one doctor hesitantly agreed to see evan. it's known as the genesis program designed for transgender children and their families, the clinic is one of only a handful in the country. after a six month mental health evaluation doctors can prescribe drugs to delay onset of puberty. >> how is your implant doing? >> 99. i'm not picking at it.

>> the fear of society rises through roof. all their lives they were expecting their body was going to be something different. and as a child, you magically think you'll wake up and be the gender you hope you are. >> the opportunity to meet other transgender children. >> meeting ash he wasn't the best day of my life. the best day in my life was when i got my haircut and changed my clothes but this was the second best day. he was probably my favorite person in the whole wide world. >> what was it like for you guys when you found each other? >> i was trying wait, you're real, like you're not -- whoa, i can't stick my hand through you. >> you're not a ghost. >> you're not a ghost, but it was like oh hey. >> it was like this. >> but then asher we're like best friends now.

>> has making friends been hard? >> yes, oh slum. >> i think social transition is the hardest part. because the physical one like all that can be changed by like, a hormone whroark blockers or testosterone or estrogen or something like that. but the social transition, if you tell a friend, they don't want to be friends with you, there's no fixing that. >> unless you say, oh i'm just kidding, then you're lying because it's based on a lie. >> it must be something to find someone in transition. >> when i joined a group, it was only trans-girls. is there ever going to be a trans-guy? he's the only one. >> are you talking about boys? >> yes, it's the focus of every teenager, girl or boy.

>> as the first generation of transgender youth using puberty blockers growblockers grows up,e conversation continues to evolve. from a small program created to help evan with his transition, today genesis has grown to a clinic that sees an average of 25 new patients every month. still, they're among the lucky ones. >> you know what, throw hate at me, i don't care what you say. for those kids who are depressed, who are so saddled because of the rest of the people saying you can't do this, it's wrong, you're going to hell, for whatever reason, i want to be that person who helps them get through it. >> you're 12 years old. that's a lot to take on. >> yeah but if it means saving 100 kids's lives from suicide, lgd, i'm going to be that person

to help them get through it. >> "america tonight's" christof putzel is with us . christof how can he get through it? >> he that is parents who are very supportive, who have worked tirelessly, and he has access to a clinic where a lot of kids don't have, where they have this whole system in place to try build their confidence, transition into a gender, and they are on a journey, i've never seen it like this for frankly any 12-year-old but it's amazing. >> i wonder how someone like

caitlin jener ma jenner may help? >> he was basically inspired by a speech she gave, you may want to doubt my intentions, you may doubt authenticity , but basically leave the kids alone. evan was inspired by this but also mentioned to me doesn't really feel there are any male transgender roles out in the media and he decided that he wanted to be that role model. even at 12 years old, he wants to be that person that can stand up for the rights of the trans-community and also be somebody that will take all of the hits for other kids, is the way that he put it. and i think that that gives him the strength. >> christof, i wanted to ask, it is not just this community in texas that we referred the earlier that had a vote and the community voted against the expansion of transgender rights, it is not just texas but this is

cropping up in other communities around the country. >> it is cropping up in a lot of places and just in illinois just this week there was a school district that was found in violation of basically not allowing a kid to use the bathroom, a transgender girl to use the locker room of the sex she identified with, they found that in violation of title nine. while this is not something that is going to go out into the rest of the community it can in the future protect kids in schools and that's what these parents care about. >> "america tonight's" christof putzel, thanks. >> them, the pain of war and the only ones who can truly understands. thursday on "america tonight," correspondent adam may with a close look at people facing ptsd.

>> many veterans return from war, lost, damaged sometimes they are homeless. they often struggle to find help. they wonder who can they trust? a new documentary called shelter takes us on an intimate journey, a grass roots movement where veterans find a way to serve again. ♪ that same old terror ♪ where the dead ones chase him ♪ in the dream ♪ [applause] >> in order to function, in combat, and you gentlemen know

this, a rational response would be to get the hell out of there. but we can not be rational so we have to set aside our rational, human response and then, having cut all of those feelings off, you numb yourself to it. because if you don't, you'll just start screaming one day, in the middle of it, and you won't stop. >> i went to iraq in 2009. and we got bombed every thursday. they would lob off rocket rounds, mortar rounds, whatever they had. one night one of those rounds hit three, four guys. and i think one of them survived, i don't really remember because it kind of burnt my memory with the meth and everything to try to forget about it. but we lost three -- three guys, three

mps. you talk about numbness. when i got back, i had no fear, period. i was not afraid of anything. in the middle of the night i didn't care, trying to get some weed you know to calm me down . >> this organization started in the '70s. we were trying to create a place for returning vietnam veterans. and it soon became apparent like everybody else, they needed a home, a job, healthy relationships. so there was a need to establish an agency, and organization that not only could bring together these resources. but also create a place, a safe secure place that they could come to talk about their experiences, share that with other people that had a similar experience.

>> there seems to be a large percentage of veterans who do come out. you know, a little broken, you know? and for everybody, you know, it's a life-changing experience. that's what boot camp is all about. they take away your individualism, and they train all of that stuff out of you, so you don't question orders. >> they're leaving, you know, such a structured environment and then thrown into, you know, life that's been going on for four years without them or longer, you know. and that's scary and intim daylighting and they don't know how to -- intimidating. that's why they turn to drugs or whatever they don't know how to fit anymore . >> i feel the ream problem is there's no out-training, if that makes sense. you know particularly with our military people now. they're being trained to such a high degree to go over and fight. they go over there, they do

their job and then they're out one day. and how is somebody supposed to flip that switch? it doesn't happen. >> it's about the saying of bob dylan, where in the hell has he been? we could use him about now, i think. >> this will be our room. >> that's a good program. next week, i'll graduate but i got -- i put in for extension to stay longer. because i need a lot more work on myself. and i'm getting the help that i need here so -- >> i'm hoping that i can learn here. because i'm dealing with every issue that the rest of you are dealing with. i'm 100 per stpt disabled. >> ptsd disabled. >> what years were you in?

>> '67-68. >> when i was drafted they very wisely made a medic out of me. i don't think there's anything else in the army that i would have done. i never saw another job that i could have done, that i would have done. ♪ >> and when we get ambushed and they'd be shooting at us and stuff, i would use my rifle to make noise. i wanted to scare them off. but i didn't want to hurt 'em. >> mostly since then i've been dealing with the effects of ptsd and depression and all that about. it is common to all of us.

>> this is my son jack. ♪ gypsy daily ♪ ♪ down half crazy ♪ never quite came home from ♪ the vietnam war ♪ time comes undone and ♪ >> more moving stories of veterans helping veterans in the new documentary shelter which airs this sunday, november 8th at 10:00 p.m. eastern right here on al jazeera america. that's "america tonight." please tell us what you think at aljazeera.com/americatonight. talk to us on twitter or facebook and come back, we'll have more of "america tonight," tomorrow. >> you're the first one on the scene. suicides, homicides, the roof is

crushing into somebody's chest. >> what is the number one cause of death for police officers? >> suicide. "on target" tonight, solving syria. i'm looking at the real reason america is putting 50 special forces trooms on th troops on t. how the styles of george w. bush an barack obama led to infringements on your civil liberties. >> syria's war lays