European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

International Trans Memorial Day

by In Wales
Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 05:52:37 AM EST

The TUC is calling on employers to stop discriminating against transgender people in the workplace on International Trans Memorial Day today.
Violent attacks on people because of their sexuality are well documented - much less well known are the murderous assaults committed against transgender people.
In September 2008 at least 25 transgender people were murdered across the world, for no other reason than the fact that they were different. International Trans Memorial Day will remember trans people across the world who have been the victims of such crimes, and aims to bring them to public attention.

Violence towards trans people is something Helen has discussed on here before, and the attitudes towards trans people are not disimilar to the attitudes towards gay people through history. Activism has brought great changes and cultural shifts for lesbian, gay and bisexual people but much still needs to be done to bring about a safer and more welcoming society for trans people.

In Britain the trans community continues to face violent physical attacks, alongside prejudice and discrimination in communities and at work.
Although there have been improvements to the law, there remain gaps and widespread exemptions that leave trans people without full protection.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Discrimination, hatred and violence are part of the daily lives of far too many in Britain, and employers need to make sure all their employees are working in safe environments free from discrimination.
'Unions need to step up campaigning for equality for trans people in the UK. We will shortly have a new Equality Act and the TUC will be pressing for complete protection for those people who identify with the opposite gender to the one that they were born.

The figure of 25 trans people murdered globally in September is from the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and more detail can be found on the website.

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International Trans Memorial Day | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: International Trans Memorial Day (4.00 / 2)

Thank you.

At the UK remembrance we will be particularly honouring Kellie Telesford, killed in Croydon a year ago tomorrow. Her killer was acquitted. Please note, he admitted killing her, but the trans panic defence worked.

And if any of our american cousins wish to remember, please avoid any HRC event as they have been trying to hijack our commemoration to wrap into a wider event for a couple of years. Given their naked contempt for our existence and refusal to support laws that might protect us, this is disrespectful of our dead. Its not theirs to take.

Fortunately Stonewall aren't interested in stealing it from us here...yet.

Seems like the ILGA server is down at the moment.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 06:43:33 AM EST

Re: International Trans Memorial Day (none / 0)

WHAT???

I find it hard to believe what I just read. Panic? Panic from what exactly? Did he think it was a viral fatal condition (and even THEN)?

Mmm when did he admit to the killing? All the sites I find claim that he denied it (OK, the denial is blatantly unbelievable) and did not realise she was trans. I don't believe him of course, but it doesn't match your story. Did he admit it after the trial?

Anyway, I had no idea there was an international day

"The womb that spawned that thing is fertile yet"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:23:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: International Trans Memorial Day (none / 0)

Well with cases like that one, an international day is clearly needed.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:41:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: International Trans Memorial Day (none / 0)

Sorry, I got her case confused with the Angie Zapata murder where the partner does admit the killing, but is claiming trans panic.

I know there has been one case this year where the trans panic was succesful, but I'm afraid a crusory run around google can't find it.

My apologies, but this sort of thing strikes kinda close and it becomes a bit personal.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:25:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: International Trans Memorial Day (none / 0)

I'm sure it's highly personal. It's a court of justice stating that being who you are is a justifiable explanation for creating a state of panic that is enough to kill someone.

Even if the panic could be understood (certainly not justified, but let's for a moment consider understandability), how could a judge justify the link between panic and killing. It's identity anxiety maybe, but the person is under no threat whatsoever.

It reminds me (don't take it badly) of Terry Pratchett when Rincewind and Bethan are struck that, when Cohen the Barbarian is afraid of someone or something, he tries to fight.
But he's a novel character and, precisely, a barbarian.

"The womb that spawned that thing is fertile yet"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:40:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

A comment from Lisa (none / 1)

Lisa posts over at Questioning Transphobia and has this to say about TDOR

How do you mourn someone? Let alone people you've never met? Why would you?
Transgender Day of Remembrance is not a once-a-year deal. You don't show up for services, murmur "lest we forget" and then promptly forget for the rest of the year. Today lives within us, because we cannot afford to forget.
Still. Today most of all, we remember those who were killed. Because we die violently, unmemorialised, and are mocked after our deaths.
Because the world sees us disposable, less than human (and who can mourn that?). Many of the dead lost their lives because they were trans women of colour, doubly disposable.
[....]
And yes, today we remember those of us still living-our fear, the fear that lives at the heart of every trans person, that someone will know that we are trans, and will kill us for it. Today we remember all the other times we murmured "oh fuck" as we read the news. Today we discover the deaths we missed, because we couldn't bear hearing about them anymore for awhile, even though we must. We must.
Sometimes we forget ourselves, you know. Sometimes we think that if we look like cissexuals, pass like them (are passed like them), that they must accept us. And we forget that it is only the fact that they have assumed we have the same gender history as them that keeps them from hating us.
We do not live fake lives. We do not live as nicknames, as aka. We live hard, we love hard-we have to. And we deserve to be mourned.

Those lines "the fear that lives at the heart of every trans person, that someone will know that we are trans, and will kill us for it. Today we remember all the other times we murmured "oh fuck" as we read the news." resonate heavily for me. Yes, I've been very fortunate; even when I really didn't pass at all, nothing really bad happened to me, I never really felt I was in danger of physical harm...ever.

Yes, in some senses, my bad luck to be large, very well built and pretty much guy shaped does make it hard for me to pass without a large slice of kindness and sympathy from strangers. I pass a glance, but little more. Stealth and any invisibility of womanhood I might crave are unattainable.

But it is also a good fortune a lot of other TG people do not have in that I'm not an easy target. So, I have a certain luxury others do not share. But I never forget I am vulnerable to an unfathomable hatred from men whom I terrify beyond reason simply because I exist.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:01:02 AM EST

Re: A comment from Lisa (none / 0)

Well, you CAN pass to people who don't mind.
I had no idea you were a trans when I met you. I would have guessed if I had tried to, but since I don't (not that I don't "care", in that I am interested and happy to discuss it, but that's pretty much it). So you were not obvious enough that I would immediately register. I just assumed you were English ;-)

Could you please answer my other post? I'm interested to know more about the case, since that's not what I read.

"The womb that spawned that thing is fertile yet"

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:16:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A comment from Lisa (none / 1)

I have answered it, wrongly I was confusing it with another case. One that is still ongoing afaik.

On passing : In large part from a simple lack of self-confidence, but also to an extent from fear of accusations of deceptin and misleading, I tend to be very "out" about my status. All through my transition period I read tales on the web of trans people suffering rejection or of being killed by people who were enraged to discover that the "woman" they'd known for a while and maybe even slept with, had been born a man.

So quite early on I became determined that I would never allow myself to be accused of deceiving anyone. So people get to find out if I know them for any length of time, I make sure of it. I don't do it to make myself seem interesting or exotic and some such bs, I do it for self-protection. Out of fear.

That said, I prefer not to be out to casual acquaintances and strongly resent being outed by friends, for whatever reason.

So I never really think about passing cos it's not vital to my self-identity. I know it is for others and have recently taken part in strangely fevered and to me slightly baffling discussions about the subject. But my issues were not about my social acceptance, I just wanted the pain in my head to stop. When that happened everything else that followed has been a plus, but not vital. I understand that others feel differently.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:38:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A comment from Lisa (none / 0)

Helen, I have a wee problem (following on from your statements above) to do with the fact that you will meet my sister and brother in law in due course. The problem is not with my kith and kin (who are openness personified) but with my first instinct, in explaining to them that I'd like to meet a friend from ET who happens to live in the same town, is to go with the 'interesting, opinionated, compassionate, original person, makes me laugh, can talk the hind legs off beer, and BTW she's transgender', explanation (since it is not my house and out of politeness I should give some background to the intrusion)

My problem re your statements, is that maybe I am doing you an injustice. For me, it is no different than telling my sister that someone is a vegan, allergic to cats, or is a poor time keeper and may show up late. These are not judgements, but practicalities.

You have to admit that it might be an unusual situation, which can challenge many people's perceptions, if caught unaware. Not because there is anything 'wrong', but because it is a 'novelty' about which people need to rethink their reactions. I am an idiot, I know. I'm trying to be honest.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 12:09:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A comment from Lisa (none / 0)

Forewarned is forearmed. I guess I was writing regarding my feelings about things and the only time I brought to mind of me being outed by a "friend" was where I seriously doubted the good intent of the person doing the outing. He only told me he'd previously outed me to someone after we'd left their company and so I felt my identity had been used for sport.

In hindsight I remember other times where I've been outed but not minded. It's on a case by case basis. On ET I don't really think of it cos it's something I talk about a lot (possibly too much, I dunno) so I'd just assume an ET thing about it. I'm not entirely consistent about anything, least of all this so tell them if you think it would avoid any issues or even, god forbid, stimulate conversation.

'sfunny, while I can understand the curiosity of others, being trans is just my mundane day to day and utterly unremarkable. A part of me hates the idea that I'm an object of curiosity, a circus show freak, yet another part of me loves talking about me and my life (the autobiography impulse I guess) and enjoy the opportunity to normalise trans-ness just a bit. Heck, I've given a speech in a school to a bunch of kids, so I'm hardly being discreet.

Lives are messy andthey aren't all lived in one part of your head and many of the various parts disagree and squabble lots. Personality is just the cartoon dust cloud that arises with fists and feet poking out at odd angles. consistency ? Dream on.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Nov 20th, 2008 at 12:59:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

International Trans Memorial Day | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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