Another victim of transphobic violence...
I would prefer my first meaningful post in a while to be about something more positive, but sometimes it takes a sad story to inspire some writing.
I read the news. I read about what concerns me. And I consider LGBTQIA2+ rights and news as my business. And today I see yet another trans woman of colour who got murdered in the USA. Then I read hateful comments under it. What’s the hell is wrong with people? Someone just died, murdered, burnt beyond recognition and you think it’s right to insult her memory AND blame her on top of that??
I wrote an « open letter » in response to those hateful comments because... it’s not ok.
Hello everyone.
I am a transgender woman. I am part of this minority that gets the highest suicide rates of all and that also get murdered the most, in proportion.
I see a lot of people using religion to attack us. Then I see a lot of people “sending prayers”.
First... get your shit together people: you are supposed to all pray to the same dude in the sky, so ask him how to treat us and you all should be doing fine. Love thy neighbor, they say, right?
We are your neighbors, we are your coworkers, we are your friends, we are your family, we are your kids... and some of us don’t understand themselves yet.
Sending prayers... I’m sorry to be one more person to tell you the truth: who cares? Oh, for sure they are “good intentions”, thanks a lot for that! According to the saying the road to hell is paved with them. In reality, you throw them around all the time, but mass shootings still happen WAY TOO OFTEN.
To me... it says it all. What we need are not prayers. We need actual support.
We need people to speak up for us when we are alone in the street getting insults yelled at by random guys.
We need people to speak up for us when we are not around.
We need people to stop using us as a punchline in their jokes.
We need people to respect who we are.
I could be your neighbour. I could be your coworker. I could have been your close friend who is in a deep depression and too afraid to come out, because the world treats him as a menace and a sicko.
Being male is not a choice.
Being female is not a choice.
Being transgender is not a choice either.
On the other hand, being hateful, insulting, mean and violent is a choice you make.
You might not understand us, what we are going through and how we feel.
It’s ok!
There is a lot of things I don’t understand. But I’m curious and I get informed before I judge and let my emotions drive my opinions.
Please... Be kind
