Nov 20 - TG Day of Remembrance
by Raven Usher
Every November I write an article about the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Held on Nov. 20, it is a day that has been set aside for the LGBT community to remember and pay homage to the men and women who have lost their lives at the hands of violence for being who they are; for being transgendered. The yearly average of transgender murder is nearly 13 per year. That may not sound like a lot. But let us look at the numbers more closely.
Robert Binenfeld, Location: Monroe, NY, Cause of Death: Strangled by Jason Bardsley.
Felicia Moreno, Location: Hollywood, CA, Cause of Death: Shot twice by Patrick Edward Vallor, an active-duty U.S. Marine lance corporal.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are approx. 297,265,590 people in the United States. At a capita of 1 in 30,000 for male to female and 1 in 100,000 for female to male, the population of transgendered people in America is approx. 12,880. (9,908 M-F & 2,972 F-M) That means .11% of the TG population is being murdered every year simply because they are transgendered.
Ryan Shey Hoskie, Location: Albuquerque, NM, Cause of Death: Undetermined; body did show signs of upper body trauma.
Ronnie Paris, Jr., Location: Tampa, FL, Cause of Death: Beaten by his father, Ronnie Paris, Sr.
Still does not sound like a lot? Consider this. If .11% of African Americans were being murdered each year simply because they were black, 394 people would die every year from that violence. Racially motivated murder was not that high even during the height of the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. What would Dr. King think about those numbers?
Eddie Chung Chou Lee, Location: Daly City, CA, Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds.
Ashley Nickson, Location: Dothan, AL, Cause of Death: Shot multiple times.
I will admit I have never done any serious research about Dr. King and his ideologies, but I do understand what he was trying to accomplish. I also understand his passion and his willingness to stick his neck out for others who faced the same obstacles that he did. Knowing that, I am willing to venture the guess that he would be as upset with those numbers as I am, if not more. And I know for certain that he would not keep quiet about his outrage.
Amancio Corrales, Location: Yuma, AZ, Cause of Death: Violent trauma.
Julio Argueta, Location: Miami, FL, Cause of Death: Stabbed twelve times, allegedly by John Valdespino.
I do not scream and yell as loud as some people. I do not have access to national coverage that reaches millions of people across the nation. There are no news crews clamoring to catch my every word. In fact, when I do speak out, I am not always sure if anyone is listening to, or even hearing, what I say. There are times when I want to quit; when I think my time and effort is being wasted.
Timothy Blair, Jr., Location: Louisville, KY, Cause of Death: Shot multiple times.
Sometimes I feel as if taking the time every year to publicize the names of the victims of trans-hatred driven violence is not paying them the honor that I intend. But I am not going to stop doing it. I do not know if I really owe these fallen people anything at all. I do not know if I am doing any good by saying a prayer for them every time I read their names.
Kasha Blue, Location: Chicago, IL, Cause of Death: Stabbed.
What I do know is that I will continue this as long as I can. Months. Years. Decades. There is a ghost that hovers around my head constantly telling me that the louder I speak up the less time I will have; that if I do not shut up, I am going to end up on my own list. But you know what? It is a fair trade.
R.I.P.
Blessed Be
by Raven Usher
Every November I write an article about the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Held on Nov. 20, it is a day that has been set aside for the LGBT community to remember and pay homage to the men and women who have lost their lives at the hands of violence for being who they are; for being transgendered. The yearly average of transgender murder is nearly 13 per year. That may not sound like a lot. But let us look at the numbers more closely.
Robert Binenfeld, Location: Monroe, NY, Cause of Death: Strangled by Jason Bardsley.
Felicia Moreno, Location: Hollywood, CA, Cause of Death: Shot twice by Patrick Edward Vallor, an active-duty U.S. Marine lance corporal.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are approx. 297,265,590 people in the United States. At a capita of 1 in 30,000 for male to female and 1 in 100,000 for female to male, the population of transgendered people in America is approx. 12,880. (9,908 M-F & 2,972 F-M) That means .11% of the TG population is being murdered every year simply because they are transgendered.
Ryan Shey Hoskie, Location: Albuquerque, NM, Cause of Death: Undetermined; body did show signs of upper body trauma.
Ronnie Paris, Jr., Location: Tampa, FL, Cause of Death: Beaten by his father, Ronnie Paris, Sr.
Still does not sound like a lot? Consider this. If .11% of African Americans were being murdered each year simply because they were black, 394 people would die every year from that violence. Racially motivated murder was not that high even during the height of the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 60’s. What would Dr. King think about those numbers?
Eddie Chung Chou Lee, Location: Daly City, CA, Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds.
Ashley Nickson, Location: Dothan, AL, Cause of Death: Shot multiple times.
I will admit I have never done any serious research about Dr. King and his ideologies, but I do understand what he was trying to accomplish. I also understand his passion and his willingness to stick his neck out for others who faced the same obstacles that he did. Knowing that, I am willing to venture the guess that he would be as upset with those numbers as I am, if not more. And I know for certain that he would not keep quiet about his outrage.
Amancio Corrales, Location: Yuma, AZ, Cause of Death: Violent trauma.
Julio Argueta, Location: Miami, FL, Cause of Death: Stabbed twelve times, allegedly by John Valdespino.
I do not scream and yell as loud as some people. I do not have access to national coverage that reaches millions of people across the nation. There are no news crews clamoring to catch my every word. In fact, when I do speak out, I am not always sure if anyone is listening to, or even hearing, what I say. There are times when I want to quit; when I think my time and effort is being wasted.
Timothy Blair, Jr., Location: Louisville, KY, Cause of Death: Shot multiple times.
Sometimes I feel as if taking the time every year to publicize the names of the victims of trans-hatred driven violence is not paying them the honor that I intend. But I am not going to stop doing it. I do not know if I really owe these fallen people anything at all. I do not know if I am doing any good by saying a prayer for them every time I read their names.
Kasha Blue, Location: Chicago, IL, Cause of Death: Stabbed.
What I do know is that I will continue this as long as I can. Months. Years. Decades. There is a ghost that hovers around my head constantly telling me that the louder I speak up the less time I will have; that if I do not shut up, I am going to end up on my own list. But you know what? It is a fair trade.
R.I.P.
Blessed Be
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