Transgender Day of Remembrance 2013

November 20.

In Honor of transgender women who lost their lives?

Let's not forget the fact that this event was created as title above says: in honor of transgender women who lost their lives. Thanks to Laverne Cox interview on Katie Couric Show, she reminded us again that it is transgender women who are getting killed, not gender variant folks, not gender non-conforming, not queers, not any others. When we look at statistics and list of victims, that was what she mentioned, truly all people who lost their lives, of trans* community are - women. Therefore, anyone using label TRANS* in their proclamation of Remembrance Day are  really doing  nothing else but plagiarizing it, to put it gently. My personal opinion is that it outright demeaning the status of honor for which it was created in the first place. Continuing my opinion: It truly is taking away something what does not belong to anyone else, but to women.  The point is: It is a Transgender Day of Remembrance to honor women who lost their lives. Rest comes as secondary addition.

Another reason to use the original name would be as follows:  There are numerous events on net, cities, universities, groups and other social gatherings, to mark and honor Transgender Day of Remembrance. This is very special day same as any other event where part of it's content, is to mourn people who lost their life for their cause of struggle.  We have seen Remembrance Day, Canada Day, International Women’s Day etc….. as officially recognized names with it’s own traditional reminders corresponding to different causes.  Now imagine for the moment if we started to call Canada Day with All Provinces Day, that does not look right, does it?  What about War Veterans Day to be called Vet’s Day? That looses it’s honorable feel and although we can hear it this way as a ‘street’ talk, officially it is and will always be a War Veterans Day.  How about Women’s International Day, could we modernize it? Maybe like Women* International Day , eh? Did you noticed an asterrix? It may mean a new trend to include transgender women, right? .......
 It looks funny, yes, and it kinda spoiling a lustre of traditional and official name of Women’s International Day.  Now let’s take the name of Transgender Day of Remembrance.  We all know what this means from day of it’s inception in 1998. here is short quote just in case we need to remind of the true meaning:  

Quote starts ----> "Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which occurs annually on 20 November, is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia, or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender graphic designer, columnist, and activist, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts." <-- end of quote.

So historically this day was started in remembrance of transgender woman, soon after it was footnoted explaining it does include all other groups such as gender non-conforming, queer, in short anyone who is not ok with gender assigned at birth. This footnote is short and all inclusive adding that remembrance day is also reminder of oppression and denial of rights to all inclusive groups. Now up to now all is ok, we using traditional symbolism and well recognized and respected name of Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Problem starts when we want to use word trans* in official name of this event.

I did not find any other group on www net who will not use anything else than original name for this day (see above). Today I noticed one university organizing “Trans* Day of Remembrance”.   I have nothing against usage of term trans*, I do use it regularly as a convenient short to include all groups and expressions fitting formula about gender identity. I like it and agree with what it means.  Now have a look at it in the above name for that our special day from point of view of onlookers:  it looses almost it’s meaning as many folks outside our community don’t know if we are in ‘trans’ like under influence of some religious dance, or what.  Second problem is that this day has it’s official  NAME, same as examples I show in beginning of my notes, it's tradition embedded in history  . Based on that, does it mean that this university starting another different commemorable event?  Probably not.  They could use announcement like: “ Our trans* community  will be holding a vigil in respect of  Transgender day of Remembrance”  That’s better! I am against changing the original name of this event as it already include all groups of our community and the original name carries pride of tradition and deep respect of people to whom it was dedicated in the first place. 

We are unicorns.

Hello my dear. Alright, I did not write following essay, it is obviously written too perfectly for my poor grammar.  It is also perfect for it's content and accurate account of  my true feelings.  I could have just reference the link, but I am afraid it may disappear.  So I just reprinted it in full quote. Enjoy as I do, every sentence is as truthful as it gets.

                               * * * * * * *

Reasons To Cherish Being Transsexual

Because being transsexual is often so hurtful, so filled with sadness and longing, with shame and loss and difficulty, it is easy to come to the conclusion that the whole thing is utterly a curse, perhaps inflicted by arcane and evil ancient gods.
Oh, probably....
But there is an upside too.
Most human lives are utterly mundane, devoid of any real uniqueness, the average person somnambulates through an existence devoted to filling the roles expected of them.
But to be a transsexual is a magical, wondrous thing.
Consider. We are given many gifts in compensation for the terrible loss of our childhood as ourselves, and for the pain we endure. We are by some as yet unknown mechanism statistically far more intelligent, as a class, than perhaps any other kind of people. We are almost universally more creative, and we often possess incredible levels of courage and self determination, demonstrated by our very survival, and ultimate attainment of our goal. We are rare as miracles, and in our own way, as magical, or so has been the belief of all ancient cultures on the earth.
We are given awareness that others would never experience, understanding of gender, of the human condition, of society and the roles and hidden rules unquestioned within it. We are given a window into the lives of both sexes, and cannot help but be, to some degree, beyond either. From this we have a rare opportunity: to choose our own life, outside predetermined and unquestioned definition or role. We can do new things, original things, only because our experience is so unique.
We get to be true shapeshifters, and experience the sheer wonder of melty-wax flesh and a real rebirth into the world. Our brains and bodies gain benefit from having been bathed in and altered by the hormones of both sexes. We appear to retain our visible youthfulness where others wrinkle, and for years longer. We possess neural advantages from both sexes, such as the language advantages of the feminized brain, and the spatial abilities of the masculinized brain both. We are shocked into waking up, if we allow it, to a life we create for ourselves...we are not automatically doomed to sleepwalk through life.
After our transformations, after the full-moon lycanthropic miracle that the modern age affords us, we can live lives of success and love, and genuine specialness, if we choose. If we can get past our upbringing, past the programming, the bigotry, the messages of disgust from the culture around us, if we can stand as ourselves in freedom, then our special gifts grant us a heritage of wondrous power.
We have a proud and marvelous history. In ancient days we were magic incarnate. We were Nadle, Winkle, Two-Souls, Shamans and healers and magical beings to our communities. We possessed the ability to give the blessings of the gods and spirits, and were prized as companions, lovers, and teachers.
We were the prize gift of ancient tribes, entertainers, designers and dreamers. Sometimes we were the -somewhat reluctant- rulers of empires, and the consorts of emperors. We were champions and warriors too, who were feared for our unique gifts turned to inevitable victory.
Know that it is only in recent centuries, with the rise of the single minded, monolithic and monotheistic desert religions, filled with harsh single gods and twisted, narrow morals, that our kind have become reviled, the objects of scorn. Once, we were the kin of the gods.
To be transsexual is not easy, and it is not a birth that could be envied, but neither is it a damnation. It was once considered a rare wonder, if a mixed one; a faery gift that cuts as it blesses.
And in the modern age, of hormones and surgery, we are the first generations of our kind to finally know the joy of complete transformation, of truly gaining our rightful bodies. No other transsexuals in history have been so fortunate.
 
I say that we are unicorns, rare and wondrous, with still a touch of ancient magic and the kinship of the gods. Though it is agony, beyond the fire we have the opportunity to become alchemic gold.
We have much to add to the world, and to give to ourselves and those who love us.
We have always been, we are still the prize of the tribe, for only the world around us has changed, the desert harshness branding us vile. We are still the same.
Our compensations are real, and our lives are special; we have but to grasp the gifts born of our sufferings.
When I look around me at the mundane lives, there are times I think that maybe I am glad I was born transsexual, for I would never have been what I have become without that curse. I cannot help but be grateful for my uniqueness, so I am brought to a strange revelation:
Deep down, I cherish having been born a transsexual.


 

Mr. Anderson, clearify your reasons, please.

I am following progress of Bill C-279 as it passes through channels of the House. I read many if not all comments and speeches of supporting members of Parliament and  opposing ones as well.  The one interesting from opposition is of Mr. Anderson (Feb 27 2013). At first he goes on with reciting the obvious about basic human rights in Canada and how great it is to live in such a compassionate country. That went on for maybe like one third of his speech. Then he concludes it with the reason why we don't need special protection of transgendered folks. He also adds he will vote against this bill for couple of other reasons.  We would like to know what are those two other reasons as Mr. Anderson not elaborating as he should. One wonders what is hidden in his mind....... 

For your interest and others who think protection of transgendered people is not needed, there is a scientific study from Ontario Wilfrid Laurier University: http://transpulseproject.ca/research-type/e-bulletin/

One of the detailed documents clearly shows very high percentages of transphobia experiences and high suicide rate attempts as result.