As mentioned in previous pieces, it is still a subject that, for some, is ultimately difficult to address, drawing up feelings of confusion, misunderstanding, and sadly but often vitriol. Detractors, religious or otherwise, often ask the same question: Why would you ever want to change your gender?
This misunderstanding about gender identity is all too common since many are unable to grasp that for some, such an identity is not stable.
Thursday, November 15, marks Transgender Day of Remembrance here in Long Beach, as a coalition of community, civil rights, and religious organizations will host a local vigil to honor those who have not only sadly been murdered due to transphobia, but also honor those who have been brave enough to vocalize their steadfast belief that they were assigned—mostly by society—the wrong identity and the courage to truly show themselves to others.
“Every person here tonight had the courage to stand up to the world and say, ‘We will not be silent,'” said Nick Spurlock, Diversity Co-Chair, Human Rights Campaign, Orange County/Long Beach/Palm Springs. “These people that we honor will not be forgotten, because they will live on through our courage.”
The day of remembrance was founded in 1999 by transgender graphic designer Gwendolyn Ann Smith following the unsolved murder of Rita Hester outside of Boston, whose body was discovered stabbed over twenty times on November 28, 1998. The overall negative media coverage—in which her death was consistently described with male pronouns and focused on the fact that Hester had been a prostitute—prompted the trans community to become coalesced in fighting for Hester. The case was re-opened in 2006 by the Boston police and remains unsolved to this day.
The day of remembrance has since taken root in other cities as transgender and other gender-variant individuals continue to be killed in hate crimes.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil in Long Beach will take place on Thursday, November 15, at 6:15PM. The location of the vigil will be at First Congregation Church, located at 241 Cedar Avenue. For more information, visit www.transgenderdor.org.