Ethan St. Pierre is a transgender-rights activist and the founder and creator of TransFM International Broadcasting Network. He is also the coordinator of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance Web project.
Here, he answers some questions for us about his show and about the importance of remembering those trans people who have been murdered or who have died due to the violence, neglect, prejudice, and discrimination that trans people still experience on a global scale every day.
Tell us about your online radio show, TransFM — how did that get started, what can listeners find there, and how can they access it?
I was an avid fan of Gender Talk radio and knew there was room for more voices, so I started my own talk show, which eventually morphed into a network. My talk show is called “The Radical Trannies,” which airs live on Sunday nights and is co-hosted by TG Spirit from Denver, Colo., myself, and Elektra from Massachusetts. TransFM is the name of the network where you can find many other shows that stream around the clock. There’s something for everyone, and we are always looking for more voices to add to the mix. None of us are professional broadcasters, so the atmosphere is more relaxed.
Why is a show like this important?
The network itself is extremely important for its educational value. We are very open and honest about our lives and how being a transgender or gender variant person has affected our lives. We have the opportunity to educate people in our own community as well as those who are not part of our community. I also like to joke around a lot, and I am a firm believer that there are times when we need humor in our lives, just to get through the day.
Who have been some of your favorite people to interview on the show?
I realize this may sound like I’m weaseling my way out of answering the question, but to be honest, everyone I have interviewed so far has been great. They have all been willing to put themselves out there just to help other people. Everyone has been amazing.
Who do you hope to interview that you have not yet been able to?
Lynn Conway. I haven’t been able to pin her down yet.
You have also been involved in the Remembering Our Dead project. Please explain what this is and how it relates to the Trans Day of Remembrance, which is coming up on November 20.
The Remembering Our Dead Web project was started by Gwen Smith in 1998 just after the murder of Rita Hester, a transgender woman from Boston whose murder has remained unsolved. Gwen knew that transgender people were being murdered at an alarming rate and that our lives were being forgotten and erased. The following year, in 1999, the very first Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) event took place in San Francisco, led by Gwen Smith. Now, the Transgender Day of Remembrance is recognized world wide, with events being held in numerous countries around the globe. The Remembering Our Dead Web project serves as a tool for all those participating in planning TDoR events.
What are the latest statistics on trans deaths? How accurate are these statistics, and if they are not accurate, why not?
As I type this answer, there have been 117 murders globally (since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2008). About every four days, a transgender person is murdered. Based on the information that we have, the statistics are accurate, but if you ask me if there are murders that have gone unreported, then the answer is yes. Transgender people are often misidentified by reporters, or the story may end up on the back page of some obscure newspaper, or it might not be reported on at all.
What are the most important things that can be done to reduce trans deaths?
Education is the most important factor in all of this. People need to know who transgender people are and to understand what the word means.
What is the single most important issue for trans people today?
Employment nondiscrimination laws. Transgender people should have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. How can we tell a young transgender person to stay in school when they can be faced with employment discrimination once they graduate? For most transgender people who are in the midst of transition or for someone who is outed at work, losing a job can be a death sentence.
What else would you like to say?
I want to thank all of the fantastic transgender people and allies who are making such a huge difference in the world and are making it safer for transgender people to be ourselves. When I lost my aunt, Debra Forte, to an anti-transgender hate crime, you were all there for me, and I am so grateful. Please attend a local Transgender Day of Remembrance event.
(Find a Transgender Day of Remembrance event near you or learn how to organize one at www.transgenderdor.org.)
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