Two women seeking equality in a state where some couples are more equal than others.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Confessions: #transdayofscreaming & I was quiet

I've done well at this #nanowrimo challenge so far - written every day, with a fair amount of length, and I think most of the posts have been solid. But I missed yesterday. I started it, and then some impostor syndrome crept in - the feeling that I"m unqualified to be writing for public consumption, the belief that I don't have something worthwhile to say.

And on trans issues, I feel that way especially, because I'm not trans, and while I'm blessed to love and be loved by a few people who are trans, it's not my story to tell. And yet some of my readers may not have someone out and trans around them to hear the story. They may not be reading the news articles I see or the commentary I sift through. Yesterday was the #transdayofscreaming and I want to somehow amplify and honor those voices.

And so, instead of a post, let me share a list with you. A list of unlawfully killed trans people from this year alone (taken from Wikipedia - which yes, I know may be considered slightly unreliable, but then, gathering this kind of data is tricky and may never be complete).

  • Papi Edwards
  • Lamia Beard
  • Ty Underwood
  • Yazmin Vash Payne
  • Taja DeJesus
  • Penny Proud
  • Bri Golec
  • Kristina Gomez Reinwald
  • Sumaya Dalmar
  • Keyshia Blige
  • Vanessa Santillan
  • Mya Hall
  • London Chanel
  • Mercedes Williamson
  • Jasmine Collins
  • Ashton O'Hara
  • India Clarke
  • K.C. Haggard
  • Shade Schuler
  • Amber Monroe
  • Kandis Capri
  • Elisha Walker‍ 
  • Tamara Dominguez
  • Fernanda 'Coty' Olmos
  • Kiesha Jenkins
  • Marcela Estafania Chocobar
  • Amancay Diane Sacayán
  • Zella Ziona
 I've supplied the link to the Wikipedia document, which has information about each of these people, and I hope you will read their stories. I wish you could hear their stories from their own lips. I wish we lived in a world where the LGBT community, and particularly the trans community, lives in well-placed fear of violence and hate crimes. That is not the world we live in.

But that's why I'm Committing in the Mitten. Will you commit with me?

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