I am tired of living in fear.
Fear for myself, and fear more specifically for trans-feminine people; especially those of color or different religious beliefs. It is dangerous in this day and age to be yourself if you vary from the general package of what is considered to be “right”–ie. straight, cis, male, well to do, white–and in this year alone we’ve lost 26 transgender people specifically to targeted violence in just America. 21 were transwomen, almost none of them white.
This number may be small in comparisons to the amount of people who die every day, but when the qualifying factors for murder are listed, the picture becomes dark and bleak.
Victims of domestic abuse are not included.
Victims of suicide are not included.
These victims were targeted and murdered in an act to specifically punish them for being transgender, and the motive was proven to be a hate crime.
With how many people are lost and unidentified every day, the odd of a transgender person being murdered are close to 1/12.
When planning filming for this I was filled with constant unease and dread, worried. Would I be met with misunderstandings? Would anyone be moved by my project? Was I screaming into a void of seemingly neverending hate and violence directed at the members of my community?
It was only after I met with my talent that I began to feel truly hopeful. I had the honor of working with three incredibly bright and amazing young women who helped me clarify my message and kept my spirits up.
It’s hard work reminding yourself how likely it is to lose a friend
statistically speaking, in my extended friend group, one of them will be murdered before the age of 30.
Yet, through it all … we remain? Be it for good or for bad, we’re still here. Through the pain and the suffering and constant reminders of life being cut short, I am here with my friends and we are celebrating the lives of those who were lost, and mourning their hateful end.
The overall goal for this video was to provide myself and my friends a chance to heal in such trying times. That was my first point. To give these girls a chance to say who they were and what’s happening out there.
I know no one means to kill transgender people with silence,
but every moment you don’t speak up for the small injustices, you’re allowing microaggressions to pass … and microaggressions turn into macroaggressions and then the list grows.
I want this video to reach out to my classmates, even that small of a group is enough. I just want everyone to take home the knowledge that they can make a difference by standing up for them. Be loud about your support.
stop killing us with silence
List of transgender people lost in 2016
more information and resources
