International Day of Transgender Remembrance

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 in the United States kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.

Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.

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.

Note: This page was taken from http://www.rememberingourdead.org/day/what.html

The Remembering our Dead Web Project and The Transgender Day of Remembrance are owned by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, All Rights Reserved

This year I chose famous party Diva Mi’Que who was murdered after an altercation with her boyfriend, she received several stab wounds to the chest and stomach, a great shock and loss to the community in general. many so called or thought to be drag queens originally in our gay focused LGBT community are and were making themselves visible with ever so slow understanding from the LBT populations through blogs like this as well.

Lady Mi’Que in good times

Unfortunately the community was not allowed to be fully involved in her last rights as the family demanded no LGBT intervention at that stage although several friends braved the odds and attended the service and interment, there were stares and some whispers according to reports, a clear case of homo and transphobia so rife in Jamaica today. Not to mention our cynicism to the transgender community and the transphobia by default and trans-invisibilty our advocacy structure tacitly contribute to. We must continue to demand better representation from our advocates on transgender issues than just lip service when grouped under the LGBT with the occasional press release from the writing conveyor belt and to think the only recognition even as at this post’s preparation to transgenderism is a wikipedia link to transgender on their website:

http://www.jflag.org/communities/transgender/

We must not and cannot stop demanding on behalf of our friends in the transgender community better representation as a matter of fact better representation overall as it is woefully lacking given advances elsewhere or we better drop the “T” in LGBT and focus on gay rights since that seems to be the only issue on their minds. I should know I was there for several years before my strong views and expectations was too discomforting for them. Not to mention the recent controversial vote on the transgender representatives on the Country Control Mechanism for the Global Fund Round 11 sets of funds to Jamaica being processed. Sadly two gay men were selected in a meeting that was intended for something else but the vote was haggled unto the agenda, forced unto the participants including influentials and two young pre-operative transgender representatives who were snubbed after the voting was done.

photo – Two of the leading voices in the Jamaican transgender community (taken from the upcoming Taboo Yardies documentary where they were interviewed) both have no seat on the CCM. Also see an older report/study in 2010 on Conflict of Interest issues to do with the previous CCM setup:
Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) Conflict of Interest: … 

Also see:
LGBT History Month: Allies – Posthumous Recognition ’11 Part III

Transgender Influentials shafted at hurriedly haggled CCM representative elections

–  Real Advocacy or Not Part 2 – Transgender Influentials shafted

Rest in Peace Mi’Que, we miss you.

Peace and tolerance

H