Transgender Day of Remembrance
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize people who have been killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held world wide and this year Nelson will hold a vigil on Sunday Nov. 20th, 5:00 – 6:00pm at Ward and Baker Streets.
This event started with a candlelight vigil held in 1999 in San Francisco to commemorate Rita Hester, who was murdered on November 28th, 1998. The murder also kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project. 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.
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. 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.
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
