I went into heavy fact-checking mode in my piece for Assigned today, writing about what we do and do not know about the numbers of trans people who die violently.
The article I called out was conservative bullshit published by the National Review, but they're not the only ones who I've seen treat the HRC list as if it represented every trans person to have died violently. #trans#TDOR#news#journalism#factcheck
#Queer Activists Redecorated key sites of transphobic cultural production and policymaking across #Naarm in observance of #TransDayofResistance
Excerpt: "#TERFism loves #Zionism loves racism loves classism, and they all love pigs — but we bash back against the reactionary culture wars designed to divide and conquer working classes on stolen lands everywhere! We resist settler colonial Zionism just as we resist the gender fascism brought to stolen lands. While different but interconnected genocides are taking place in front of our eyes across the globe: from this colony to #Gaza to #florida we cannot just ‘remember’ the dead, we must fight like hell for the living."
I'm out at work (being part of the community actually landed me the job since I now work for a program that helps queer people get jobs; I'm also out to our clients) and was asked if I wanted to write something for #TDoR. I said absolutely.
I'm not going to recount what I said, it was short and benign because I didn't want to re-traumarize anyone who was obligated to be there, but in the course of writing my little speech I looked up the names of the Canadians we've lost this year.
The trans community has two days that it marks during the year. One is Trans Day of Visibility (March 31st) and the second, Trans Day of Remembrance (Nov 20th)
Basically they’re to say:
“Hey! We exist. We deserve rights.”
and
“Please stop murdering us.”
I'm going to spend the evening alone, remembering beautiful friends who are gone forever. Lost to overt violence, and to the quieter violence of bigotry.
If you haven't lost anyone to this, you are blessed. If you are moved to reflect, then reflect on the fact that my people's most recognizable event is a day of mourning for our dead.
Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we commemorate and honor our transgender and non-binary siblings who lost their lives to anti-trans violence.
Let us continue to advocate for those who are no longer present as well as those who are. The time to show solidarity is now. On this day, and every day, we stand with you.
The producer and singer of this track came out as a trans women later in life and went by the name Nini Nobless. Sadly she passed away from cancer at the age of 74 in August 2023.
Absolute stomper of a track and so tender and sexy and queer. They played it at the last Beauty and the Beat down in London and I was tripping so hard, I felt like I was in heaven (either the religious one or the nightclub).
Bought it on vinyl and it just arrived today. Going to spin this one at every opportunity. I really feel it deeply.
Aujourd'hui c'est le 20 novembre, c'est le #TDOR (Transgender Day of Remembrance, Journée du souvenir trans), le jour ou on se souviens de nos adelphes mort'es : assassiné'es et suicidé'es.
Selon les chiffres de Human Right Campaign et Trans Murder Monitoring Project depuis un an, environ 321 personnes trans sont mortes du fait de la transphobie.
Si vous ne voulez pas passer ce moment seul'e vous pouvez vous tournez vers vos associations trans et LGBTI+ qui font des recueillement publique ou en ligne ce soir.
Plein de force, d'amour et de soutien pendant ce temps de recueillement.
Prenez soin de vous si vous le pouvez.💛💛💛 #tdor2023
Aujourd'hui, c'est le Tdor, une journée pour le souvenir des personnes trans qui sont mortes à cause de la transphobie. On pense aux victimes mais on appelle aussi à la lutte pour les trans, qui survivent au jour le jour... On vit, hélas, dans un monde transphobe 🕯️🏳️⚧️
Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor those lost to anti-transgender violence. Started in 1999 to commemorate the lives of Rita Hester and Chanelle Pickett, TDOR reminds us of the ongoing struggle against transphobia. Let's stand in solidarity, remember the lives lost, and strive for a world that respects and protects all.
"Book of Our Names" is like a gospel hymn for the sacredness of trans lives. It is hard not to see it both as about the ritual so many of us perform on TDOR every year, the reading of names and a candlelight vigil, and as a call to faith that we will endure and overcome.
Give yourself a few minutes today to just listen and feel this song.
TDoR 2023: 321 trans people were murdered over the last year. Today we mourn the dead. We fight like hell for the living today, tomorrow, & every day to come. 🏳️⚧️ #TDoR