Transgender people united by stories, not bound by tragedy
28th November 2008
Last Thursday marked the 10th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, or TDOR as organizers call it. Held every November, TDOR is a day to remember the individuals who have been victimized because of transgender-motivated hatred.
While this day has traditionally been one to mourn lost community members, it has grown to encompass so much more.
As a transgender man who grew up in Nebraska, the day has special significance for me. Many people have seen the film "Boys Don't Cry" about Brandon Teena, a 21-year-old transgender Nebraskan who was brutally murdered along with two other people in late 1993. A teenager at the time, I remember hearing the disturbing news about Brandon's murder just a few counties away.
The news about Brandon was the first time I heard about a person like me. As soon as I graduated from high school, I planned my move to a more accepting place. To this day, when people ask me to describe Nebraska, I think of great sunsets across big skies, lightning bugs and Brandon Teena.
Fifteen years later, hate crimes based on gender nonconformity continue to occur. National figures point to at least 14 anti-transgender murders in 2008. However, these numbers are difficult to rely upon because hate crimes based on gender identity and expression are not tracked at the state or national levels. Passage of the federal Matthew Shepard Act would require the FBI to keep statistics about hate crimes based on gender identity and expression.
While events like TDOR are very important, what we don't often hear about are the success stories of everyday transgender people who are living their lives and making great contributions to their communities. Across the country, transgender people have made careers as jazz musicians, mayors, sports columnists, restaurant owners, construction workers, police officers, janitors and physicians.
Contrary to stereotype, there is no single "transgender experience." The common bond that ties us together is our journeys, not stories of tragedy.
Washingtonians have long been at the forefront of educating and organizing the LGBT community and the public around transgender issues. Two local examples of leadership include the Evergreen Queer Alliance, founded in 1973, and the Ingersoll Gender Center, founded in Seattle in 1977.
Organizations like those have served as models for others across the country. This past summer, Gender Odyssey in Seattle led a large international conference for transgender people on the female to male spectrum, with several hundred people in attendance. Also of note, Gov. Chris Gregoire recently issued a proclamation in recognition of TDOR, likely the first proclamation of its kind from a governor. These are important, powerful accomplishments that pave the way for awareness and change.
For me, TDOR is a day to reflect on our next steps as a community. While I never met Brandon Teena, TDOR allows me a few minutes to reflect on what could have been for him and others, if bigotry and hatred had not stood in the way. TDOR also allows us the opportunity to reconvene as an LGBT and allied community, to see the big picture of acceptance and diversity, and to move forward for a brighter future.
Source: The Olympian