Transgender Day of Remembrance: Emergency Support

Given that the 20th was a day to remember trans lives lost, I thought I'd share some resources for if you or anyone you know who is transgender or anywhere else in the LGBTQIA+ community needs help.

http://www.translifeline.org/ (Trans specific - ran by trans people as well)

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.transhousingnetwork.com/ (Trans specific)

http://www.crisischat.org/

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/get-help-now (LGBTQIA+ specific)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transgender: Someone whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.

LGBTQIA+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, plus

Genderless Photoset

Just a friendly reminder, thanks to Tumblr 

The Transgender Day of Remembrance: Memorializing Those We've Lost

The following is a list of all the names of our transgender siblings who have lost their lives this year due to transphobic hate crimes or suicide. The youngest of these was 13; the oldest 59. May they all rest in peace.

Keyshia Blige

Tamara Dominguez

Kandis Capri

Amber Monroe

Ashton O'Hara

Shade Shuler

K.C. Haggard

India Clarke

Mercedes Williamson

Penny Proud

Taja Gabrielle DeJesus

Bri Golec

Lamia Beard

Papi Edwards

Nephi Luthers

Diosvany Munoz Robaina

C.N. Alves de Matos Jr.

L.A. de Souza

Waleska Rayala

Paulihna

Flower

V.H.A. dos Santos

Patricia

Gabi

Erika Aguilera

India Nascimento

L.R.O. Dorta

Vanessa Calaca

Bruna J. Mendes

Sidney Araujo Claudino

Laura Vermont

Kauane da Silva

Kelly Silva

Andreja Amado

Carol Melo

Priscilla da Silva

Barbara Sodre

Jean Waltrick

Vandressa Vinnitt

Ticiane Abravanel

La Monique de Roma

Steffany

Job Rodriguez da Silva

Bruna

Bruna Quercia

Victoria Carmago

Bruna Michele

Debora

Vanessa Ganzaroli

Lotinha

Adriana

Bianca Araujo

Michael Lucas de Almeida Reginald

Natalia Ferrez

Ygor Fernando Oliviera Santos

Keity

Lara

Raissa

Capitu Santos

Joyce Akira

Pata

Didihna

Leo

Piu da Silva

Diana Sacayan

Marcela Chocobar

Francela Mendez

Fernanda "Coty" Olmos

Yoshi Tschuchida

Leticya Santos Ignacia

Miscilene

Miscilene

Tiffany Latifah

Tiffany Latifah

Anusha

Pravalika

Hande O

Leelah Alcorn

Ashley Hallstrom

Eylul Casin

Melonie Rose

Zander Mahaffey

Aubrey Mariko Shine

Ash Haffner

Sage David

Taylor Wells

Ezra Page

Blake Brockington

Taylor Alesana

Sam Taub

Rachel Bryk

Cameron Langrell

Jess Shipps

Kyler Prescott

Sam Ehly

Skylar Marcus Lee

Ryley Courchene

Emmett Castle

13 Unidentified

The Transgender Day of Remembrance: Rita

Photo Credit: Label-Aid

Content Warning: 

Murder, Death, Hate Crimes, Transphobia.

If you are bothered by any of these, please read this post with caution.

This video by Skylar Kergil talks about the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which takes place today - November 20th - annually.

Skylar shared the following information about how TDOR got started,

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance was a day founded in order for us to memorialize those whose lives were lost due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. It is a day to raise awareness of anti-transgender hate crimes, as well as a day for us to mourn and honor those whose lives were lost who may be forgotten. Transgender Day of Remembrance, or TDOR if that's a simpler acronym for you, started in 1999 following the murder of Rita Hester in 1998.

Photo Credit: TransGRiot

Rita Hester was a transgender African American woman, murdered on November 28th 1998 in Boston, Massachusetts...She was killed in her apartment due to anti-transgender violence, just two days before her 35th birthday.

The reaction to that was an outpouring of grief and sadness into the streets, to hold a vigil just a few days later for Rita's honor. That vigil has turned into Transgender Day of Remembrance."

Skylar also shared an exceptional original poem titled Rita (in honor of Rita Hester mentioned above), but as he said "it is really for all of us." You can hear that by clicking the video link above or right here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transgender: Someone whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.

True Life: I'm Genderqueer (Full Episode!)

Here's the link to the full episode of the True Life: I'm Genderqueer special I talked about in my last post. It's a good watch!



http://www.mtv.com/full-episodes/9vkwdv/true-life-i-m-genderqueer-ep-genderq

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genderqueer: Someone who does not identify with a single, exclusively masculine or feminine gender identity

True Life: I'm Genderqueer (Sneak Peek!)

I rarely ever watch MTV. But I happened to skip past it on the guide tonight and saw an episode of True Life on titled "True Life: I'm Genderqueer" - and I couldn't be more thrilled!

 Since the episode just aired tonight, the full episode is not yet available online. When it is, I will post the link to that here. But for now, here's a sneak peek from the MTV website.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genderqueer: Someone who does not identify with a single, exclusively masculine or feminine gender identity

Frustrated Trans-Person/Student Rant

When will school faculty stop thinking they know how I identify better than I do? I understand what your paperwork says. I understand what you see, and that I may not be the most picture-perfect example of what you expect a "guy" to be. But what gives you the right to say that you see is more important than what I /know/ and live with every day?

I don't give a shit what you believe. If you think my identity is something to be shameful of, then that's your opinion and I respect it. All I ask for is the same respect, like not deliberately using my birth name or wrong pronouns continuously in a CLASSROOM where people don't all know I'm trans. This is not a battle to be held when you're in a position of power over me.

When you continue to out me in front of people who may or may not have known my assigned sex at birth, that not only destroys my self confidence and shows me that you don't care about respecting your students with the same respect you ask for, but it potentially puts me in danger - and as someone who is supposed to be a positive figure for their students that's not okay.

Rant over. <3

My tattoo, it reads "The Floor Is Hard, Not Unforgiving".

A constant reminder to myself to stay strong, and that nothing that is negative is worth submitting to.

Any obstacle can be overcome, you just need to be around to do it.