Today is November 20th 2011. It's the day set aside for the transgender day of rememberance. It's the day that we honor those who have been victimized with murder simply because of who they are.
I put in a post: "I believe this day should be to remember those who we have lost out of our community. We have the rest of the year to gear up for change, to be activists, to make the changes that must come. This is the one day we can give to those that have been lost. Lets not take it from them. Lets honor them as we would honor any hero who has died for the cause. *this is my humble opinion*"
As my wife read the thread on FB, she mentioned something that has got me thinking. Although I stick to what I said, that we NEED to honor those who have died, we need to remember two things. Their deaths are not "for nothing". Yes it was senseless, violent and unjust. We should remember them all in our hearts.
Second, my wife pointed out that there is no such thing for those suffering or who have died from spousal abuse, breast cancer or the like. There is no special day for them.
I agree that each "group" should have a day set aside to remember those that have fallen in that specific category. I believe it's a right that each group have their own day to do this in. Those that didn't choose to put there lives on the line for the rights the rest of us now enjoy are entitled to rememberance, and it's the responsibility of that group to make that happen.
So what about those that are not in that group? My wife is a wife of a trans-woman. Me. She supports me in the way I am living my life and the choices I have to make to be the person I am today and will be for the rest of my life, Gods and Godesses willing. She is not a "member" of the breast cancer "club". She is a part of the group that survived spousal abuse. She is a "beaten child" survivor as am I.
We fit into our own groups, not from what we have done in our lives but because of the choices those around us, and often times, trust, have made for us and to us.
What do we do for those souls?
TDOR was started by one person with an idea and put that idea into practice. Can't we do the same for the other groups? Can't we make it more prevalent to the rest of society? Make them more aware? We see things on TV all the time about violence in the home, child abuse, breast cancer, spousal abuse, starvation in other countries as well as our own, homelessness. We have the occupy movements now trying to get the 1% to hear and become more equal to the 99%.
There is no good reason that the rest of society can't be made more aware of the things that are going on.
Transgender is not a new term. It's been around a long time. Those that are transgender, are making strides for advancement of rights and responsibilities.
I think it's time that these other GROUPS recognized.
Tonight we are attending the TDOR in Tacoma. It's a first for me and a first for my family. We do not know what to expect and I have to say that I am a little more than nervous about what will happen and how I will be received.
This morning I woke up excited to go and honor those that have fallen like any other hero, now I go with the thoughts of the fallen transgender, breast cancer, spousal abuse and many more in my heart.
This is not a night for only one group anymore. It may be transgender focused but it will be "ALL INCLUSIVE".
To see a list of those we honor tonight, please go here: http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=1663
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