Friday, November 20 is the Transgender Day of Rememberance, a day set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hate or prejudice. The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.
Since 1970, 20 people in Florida have been killed because of anti-transgender hate, and in 2009 alone 10 people in the United States and 85 people elsewhere in the world are known to have died because of such hate.
For more information, visit transgenderdor.org.
Source: Transgender Death Statistics 2009. http://www.transgenderdor.org.
