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TDoR 2020
This year it felt incredibly hard to find the right words for Trans Day of Remembrance. I started to research the 37 names of U.S. victims of trans violence that we will say tonight and I knew that whatever is to be said it starts with courage. Each of these 37 people was someone’s child, was someone’s friend and chosen family and a few were someone’s parent.
Tonight we come together as their extended trans and allies family to take the time to know them, acknowledge their brilliance that, and commit to ensuring they are simply not forgotten. In the immortal words of the movie Coco (Disney did that,) “He’s been forgotten. When there’s no one left in the living world who remembers you, you disappear from this world. We call it the Final Death.” By uttering these names we ensure that each of our siblings never truly leaves us.
Moreover, this is an opportunity to honor their courage and bravery. It is also a reminder that we must remember to truly live and not bow to those who would attempt to diminish us. We each serve as a reminder of the bravery and courage of every trans person. I recently read a study that found that trans people are 2 times more likely to serve in the military than the general population. This was not surprising because some of the bravest most badass people I know are trans. I mean every time I’ve seen a Queen rocking 6-inch needle-thin stilettos I stand in awe.
