A TDoR Legacy

On November 28, 1998, Rita Hester was brutally stabbed to death in her Boston-suburbs apartment. A candlelight vigil drawing over 250 friends in her community commemorated this tragic event. One year later, San Francisco activists, stirred by her story and others like hers, held the first Transgender Day of Remembrance. Over a decade later, TDoR has become an annual worldwide event which memorializes trans* people who have died as a result of transphobia.

It is not enough to collectively remember their names, however. In honor of their legacy, we should commit to stand up to make a difference. Each of us at some point in our lives has been oppressed, yet we rarely acknowledge that we also regularly act as an oppressor.

• When we insist that another trans* person is not male or female “enough,” we are perpetuating oppression.

• When we stereotype lesbians, bisexuals, gay men, heterosexuals, and trans* people we are perpetuating oppression.

• When we tell racist, sexist, or classist jokes, we are perpetuating oppression.

• When we stand by silently in a conversation while another individual or affinity group is defamed, we are perpetuating oppression.

• When we sit idle on the sidelines while someone else stands up for equal rights or hate crimes legislation, we are perpetuating oppression.

Many names will be read this year on the Day of Remembrance, yet many others remain anonymous and unknown. On a day that honors the legacies of those who have gone before, consider the kind of legacy you would leave if you died tomorrow. Whether you are a friend, family member, partner, ally, or gender variant yourself, you can make a change for the better. Every voice counts when it comes to education, awareness, and advocacy. Let’s vow to make a conscious effort to end oppression, beginning with ourselves.

~ Julie Walsh