On Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 7 p.m. the transgender community of Houston and southeast Texas and its allies will gather at the Holocaust Museum (5401 Caroline, 77004) to honor those killed because they didn’t conform to traditional gender norms. The event is part of the internationally coordinated 9th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance to be held in more than 90 cities worldwide.
The Houston Transgender Unity Committee organizes the event, which always includes a reading of the names of the murdered people. The event this year will also include remarks by local trans people who have recently been victims of violence. Local politicians, including City Controller Annise Parker and City Council member Sue Lovell, are expected to attend. A 6:30 reception will precede the program.
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence. Over the last decade more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating. Many of these crimes against transgender individuals remain unreported and unsolved. There is also a great deal of violence and discrimination aimed at the gender diverse population
Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender, each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.
The Day Of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, it allows us to publicly mourn and honor the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten, and it expresses love and respect for all people in the face of national indifference and hatred. It also reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers and gives our allies a chance to step forward and stand with us.
More information is available at the Unity Committee website, www.htuc.org, and the TransHouston site, www.transhouston.com.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Transgender Day of Remembrance
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In addition to memorializing the people lost to senseless hate and violence, I would like to honor the women and men who courageously live their lives in truth everyday.
It makes me so angry that much of the hate and degredation against the GLBT community is embraced by religion!
Everyone in our community should know that there's a documentary film soon to be released about two lesbian women who set out to fight against religious bigotry by posing as a straight couple in an evangelical church... and they have proof.
You can see Faith of the Abomination movie trailer on YouTube, or go directly to FaithoftheAbomination.com
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