November 2020 Issue
FEATURES
#TransLivesMatter: More than just a hashtag written by Jesse Castelano In 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender advocate, initiated the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) after the killing of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. Since then, it has become an annual commemoration every year, on November 20 to pay tribute to the lives of our fallen brothers and sisters who we have lost in the accounts of hate crimes and transphobic acts. Worldwide, the rates of violence against transgender people are ever-increasing. At present, the Human Rights Campaign has documented an even greater number of brutal killings among the community since 2013. In the recent report by the Trans Murder Monitoring Project from January to September 2020, 2 trans killings in the Philippines were documented. Wholly, there have been 58 recorded murders since 2008, making the Philippines have the highest rates of violence against transgender people in Southeast Asia. The terrifying and overwhelming numbers is only the sliver of the full scope of trans issues faced by the community, particularly in the country. Transgender violence is consistent with deprived access to justice, absence of protection and support, and continuous stigma and discrimination. Likewise, the risk and vulnerabilities of the key population to violence are linked to poverty, unemployment, care refusal, and survival sex work. These factors cultivate the culture of violence against transgender and gender diverse people and keeps us deprived of our basic rights. We wake up every day knowing that our lives are threatened. We experience constant mental and physical stress caused by the pain and fear of knowing that there is no support and protection available to us. Transphobia is a systemic issue and the violence in our community is an epidemic that we have to act on. It’s our collective responsibility to fight for ourselves, and especially to fight for one another.
Photo by EBagasol
Transgender people are beautiful. We should be celebrated and protected for the bravery of living our truths. We are not less than anyone. We deserve the same rights, respect, and dignity as much as everyone else. Today and every day, let’s give honor to our fallen trans siblings by committing to work towards the elimination of violence and murder in our communities.
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