Victims of Transphobic Violence Remembered

by T. Forsyth
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Source: rochester.indymedia.org/feature/display/19787/index.php

Approximately twenty people converged outside of the Keating Federal Building in Downtown Rochester on November 20th to commemorate the 9th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance exists, states the website RememberingOurDead.org, "…to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester's murder—like most anti-transgender murder cases—has yet to be solved."

Those gathered read aloud the names of 11 murdered individuals—some transgendered, some perceived to be transgendered: Nakia Ladelle Baker (Nashville, TN), Keittirat Longnawa (Rassada, Thailand), Moira Donaire (Viña del Mar, Chile), Michelle Carrasco "Chela" (Santiago, Chile), Ruby Rodriguez (San Francisco, CA), Erica Keel (Philadelphia, PA), Bret T. Turner (Madison, WI), Unidentified Male Clad in Female Attire (Kingston, Jamaica), Victoria Arellano (San Pedro, CA), Oscar Mosqueda (Daytona Beach, FL), and Maribelle Reyes (Houston, TX). From 1970 to the present there have been 374 reported deaths according to Remembering Our Dead.

When asked why more murders aren't reported, Anya Turnquist, a transsexual, genderqueer person and organizer of the vigil stated that local and federal law enforcement agencies have no procedures in place to record or track such information. Further, when "mainstream" news agencies do report on transphobic violence, it is usually due to some sensationalist aspect of the crime and is the exception and not the rule. Finally, she said that many people do not come forward after experiencing or witnessing transphobic violence because of a fear of societal rejection, personal shame induced by cultural and societal attitudes towards transgender people, and the fear of a violent backlash.

"I wanted to do something that was being done by trans[gender] people rather than allies. While allies are great, it's trans[gender] people this most effects; we need to recognize that, 'Hey, this could be me!' I woke up this morning, but 11 people didn't," said Turnquist.

In terms of prevention, Turnquist offered some solutions. She suggested that hate crime laws are a start and while they may be more punitive than preventative, they make a very strong statement that violence will not be tolerated. In addition, she suggested local and federal law enforcement implement procedures for tracking transphobic violence.

More effective forms of prevention, however, reside in the realms of education and personal interaction. Because so many transgender people are told by the medical establishment to live in stealth—hide their past and "pass" as their preferred gender—there is a lack of awareness and sensitivity to transgender issues within the public at large, she stated. Turnquist also said that this trend seems to be changing as more transsexual people are rejecting the recommendation of stealth.

"Personal interactions can combat fear; putting yourself out there can also put you at risk in the short term. I would like to see more people take the risk because in the long run, it will lead to lasting positive change," she said.

The vigil was not the only event scheduled for the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The African Queens, another transgender group in Rochester, organized a film screening and discussion at MOCHA in Downtown. The Tawa Pano Unity Fellowship Church held a Sunday service to remember transgender victims of violence. There was also an informal discussion on transgender violence prevention at Equal = Grounds.