14th Annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance

I wrote this article for the Unitarian Fellowship of South Florida's website.  They are a small Unitarian Universalist church located in Hollywood, Florida that I've gone to events at.  I know several of their fellowship, some for as long as 16 years.  I've simply copy pasted the article below.  Enjoy!

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265 People Killed in the Last 12 Months*

265 people, humans, the same as you or me.  Parents, children, friends, like yours.  They did nothing wrong.  They lived.  They loved.  They worked and went to school.  They ate the same food, drank the same water, breathed the same air.  But their lives were taken because they wanted what we all want.  To be happy, to be themselves, to live the lives they wanted to live.  265 innocent lives lost due to hate, prejudice, and a lack of education and understanding.

When I was asked to write an article on the 14th Annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance I didn't know where to begin.  Should I talk about the dead?  Should I talk about what it's like to be transgender?  Should I tell my story?  But then I saw this statistic.  It's utterly heartbreaking.  And this only includes the murders that were reported and doesn't even include all the suicides.

To think in one year that many of my sisters' and brothers' lives were cut short by hate; hurts me deeply.  To think they will never have what I have.  To think they died doing exactly what I'm doing.  I can't understand that level of hatred.

I'm transgender.  I'm post-op.  And living a life they can no longer have.  Yes we need to remember those lost.  We need the world to know how many innocents are being killed because they identify as transgender.  But we also need to celebrate life.  The world also needs to see those of us who are still alive.  And hopefully through education and by hearing our stories the world may slowly begin to understand that we are no different from anyone else except that we aren't the gender the world tries to tell us we are.

Most people can never imagine waking up every day hating who you are, the way you look, the pronouns people call you.  Most people will live their entire lives without giving much thought to gender, hormones, chromosomes, their own names even.  Their lives will go on and they will check the box "male" or "female" without so much as a second thought.

But try for a second to imagine a life where you feel the world forcing you into checking one box when you know you're the other.  Imagine hating the clothes you're forced by society to wear in order to "fit in".  Imagine looking in the mirror and hating what you see EVERY TIME.  Day in and day out, for years, for decades.

A lot of transgender people have come forth in the last couple years.  Many celebrities have publicly transitioned, thereby increasing public awareness about what it's like being transgender.  Chaz Bono, son of world famous singer Cher.  Laura Jane Grace, singer-guitarist of the punk band Against Me!.  Jenna Talackova, Miss Universe Canada contestant.  Lana Wachowski, director, screenwriter and producer.  Hopefully in time as our stories are told the world will come to understand.

But, these senseless murders need to stop.  So take this Tuesday, November 20th to remember those lost.  Light a candle in their name.  But also go forward and do your part to stand up for transgender rights wherever and whenever you can.  Because transgender rights are human rights.  Help spread love and education.  And let's all pray, meditate, and send energy into the universe that one day these awful crimes will cease and that this unwarranted hate will subside.

Events are being held around the world this week to remember those lost and to provide awareness and hope for the future.  You can find a complete list of events worldwide at www.transgenderdor.org.

Locally, you can join myself and others for a candle lighting ceremony at:
The Pride Center
2040 N. Dixie Highway
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
7:00p.m.-9:00p.m.
www.pridecenterflorida.org/2012/11/14th-international-transgender-day-of-remembrance/

For more info on Transgender Day of Remembrance visit these links:
http://www.transgenderdor.org/
http://www.facebook.com/transdayofremembrance
http://www.wipeouttransphobia.com/

For information, resources, references and education visit the following sites:
The YES Institute - The Source For Knowledge On Gender & Orientation
The TRUE Group - Transgender Support Group for Miami-Dade
The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth - Providing Services for Transgender Youth & Their Families
Sunserve - Resources For Transgender Individuals & Their Families
The Pride Center - LGBTQ Center

There are many other resources available.  For any further questions about anything above or anything related to transgender topics please feel free to contact me directly at krysta@true-group.org.

*source:  Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring Project


Article by Krysta Lynn Cascio.