Transgender Day of Remembrance

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE Gwendolyn Ann Smith started Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) as a web project after the Nov. 28, 1998 killing of Rita Hester in Allston, MA. It resulted in a candlelight vigil held in San Francisco in 1999 to honor her, and others like her, after they died violently for being who they were. TDOR has been repeated every year since and now is being observed in over 200 cities and 20 countries around the world. Rita Hester was described by her friends “as an out transgender woman who had lived as a full-time woman for over 10 years in the Allston/Brighton community (just west of Boston proper). She was comfortable with both herself and the way she was received by all segments of local communities. She had just returned from performing abroad, a career path which she thoroughly enjoyed” when she was murdered. She had been stabbed multiple times. Her murder has never been solved. Every month, despite the attention brought by Rita’s death through yearly TDOR’S, somewhere in the world a transgender person is killed for having the audacity to be themselves. From the year 2000 hundreds of deaths have been attributed to transphobia throughout the world with many occurring in Brazil, Honduras and the USA. Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring project lists 238 deaths in 2013 alone as well as 1374 murders since 2008 in 60 countries. For a group of people that doesn’t make up a large percentage of the world’s population these numbers are staggering. How many other transgender deaths have not been reported as hate crimes? It is anybody’s guess. What is not in question is that a segment of the world’s population has demonized the existence of transgender people. This demonization works on the fears of a community that already is saddled with abnormally high fears of acceptance. That being said, the control of a group of generally loving people by individuals or groups with hate in their hearts is unacceptable. It is only through working arm in arm with others like ourselves and our allies that we will facilitate change. This year Transgender Tallahassee, along with The Family Tree, Maaca, Inc., The FSU Pride Student Union and Gentle Shepard/MCC, will host a remembrance gathering on Thursday, November 20 from 6-9PM at Gentle Shepard/MCC, 4738 Thomasville Rd. The gathering will include speakers, refreshments and a candlelight vigil to remember those who gave their lives to light our way to a brighter future devoid of hate. All with the intent of eradicating hate from the planet are welcome to join us in a night which promotes loving understanding of the diversity of life. For more information on Transgender Tallahassee please go to transgender Tallahassee.com of follow us on Facebook. “It’s a fool who plays it cool while making his world a little colder” The Beatles