The 11th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance will be observed in Dallas this Friday, November 20, on the campus of Southern Methodist University, 6425 Boaz Lane (in the Quadrangle, under the flagpole), and will be observed in Fort Worth at Carr Chapel on the campus of Texas Southern University, 2855 S. University Drive. The events are free and all are welcome. The event is a candlelight memorial to lives lost violently due to gender identity and expression this year.
Now here’s why you should be there to support regardless of whether you are heterosexual or homosexual: any of these crimes could happen to you or someone you love. It’s not just about whether you’re transgender, cross-dresser, or gender-queer. It’s about perception of your gender identity and expression, which not only speaks to homophobia but also highlights the glaring inequities against women in our society. Similar to rape and domestic abuses against women, these are the crimes that will never see the major attention of the media or even the attention of family members until, sadly, it is too late to protect them.
So if you happen to be a man with pierced ears, a hint of makeup, a voice that’s not very deep, or simply holding your wife’s purse as she tends to another duty, you could be attacked for simply being identified as a woman. In other words, those who would view women as an easy target for abuse or violence could very well view a man who, in their minds, chose to outwardly display attributes of femininity as deserving of even worse abuse of violence. Notice that sexual orientation hasn’t entered this discussion and that’s why whether you are heterosexual or homosexual, you should be here to be to provide support for fellow humans being.
For more information, contact the Gender Education and Advocacy Resources office through Resource Center Dallas at 214-528-0144
