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In vigilance we trust
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We have always known mankind to kill what it felt threatened by, to evaluate what it deemed dangerous and rid itself of the threat that comes along with it. It is because of this fear that we pay for law enforcement, that we train our children to fight to protect their lives; that we educate ourselves as best we can to ensure that our rights and values are not disrespected, but that if they are – that we are equipped to handle the situation and ensure that we regain our privileges.
As humans, we demand protection from those we elect, those we hire to guard us. But what if these officials think of one of us as the problem in society? What if that person or group cannot acquire protection because everyone feels the same about them, that they are the trauma society needs to be guarded from? Who do they turn to for protection then?
For centuries, the transgender community has been one that was repeatedly misunderstood by society, misdiagnosed by doctors and psychiatrists, misjudged by law enforcement, and mistreated by family members and friends. Transgender persons throughout the world have faced discrimination from the earliest days of their existence, even in the most "open" and democratic of societies. Law had never been enough to govern the enemies of the community, whether religious, political, conservative, or flat out prejudiced – those who saw the transgender population as an independent branch, a domestic foe. Even parents have ordered their children to avoid contact with transgender people as if they carried an incurable, contagious disease.
And although the community has carried the burden of an almost constant need for self-defense, many of us have not always been as successful in "staying alive" as the Bee Gees. Transgender people throughout the world have been abused verbally and physically in schools, on the streets, in shopping malls, and in the comfort of their own homes. Hundreds have been lost in the name of "purifying society" by people of low tolerance and acceptance levels. Every year, dozens around the world are tortured, raped, and murdered for having the courage to stand out and be who they are. The lack of legal protection or respect of human rights worldwide has given the perpetrators a green light for the continuation of their crimes.
As the years have gone by, the instances have piled up. We have been criticized for not being man enough, not being woman enough, being unnatural, being confused, not Christian enough, possessed by the devil – the list goes on. We have heard a great deal of stories about other "victims" who had our "disease" and how they were cured of it by the power of God. But the reality of it is – we're still here. We are growing in numbers because less of us fear being sincere in a world that has difficulty accepting difference. We are still here because we know better than to depend on others to save our lives. We are still here because we know we have the right to exist.
I used to think I was the only one; that no one else understood, no one felt this way. That science could never prove me right, though I knew it would bring about the change I needed. Now I know I am not alone. Today, it is with respect and admiration that I proudly say I am one of many fighters; I am one of many survivors. I am not the only one.
This November 20, we commemorate those fighters that we have lost, those we may still lose, and those who feel they have already lost themselves amidst the insecure population they live with day to day. To those who were lost – gone but not forgotten – it is in your name that I carry on today, that I lift my head up high and proudly face the world as the person I am– as a member of the transgender community. In your name I call for vigilance. I call for us to defend ourselves against those who deem us unworthy of protection, unworthy of holding a respectful stance in society. I call for us to ensure that your lives do not go to waste – that you are never forgotten. I call for the community to face our critics – know that being transgender has meaning to more than just transsexuals. That is, the transgender community includes every one of you that does not conform with the stereotypical brands of male and female. To every gender-bender, queer, butch lesbian, drag queen, tomboy, girly boy, and transsexual – this is your world too. Believe that we can lift this load – and bring justice to those who are no longer with us. In the names of those we lost, in vigilance we trust. Rest in peace.
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