Sweatpants & Equality | Trans Day of Remembrance

November 20^th is Transgender Day of Remembrance, an observance to honor and grieve the folks who have been murdered by trans-antagonistic violence. At the time of this writing, this year’s official list from International Transgender Day of Remembrance has eighty-three entries. That list only represents the victims of violence that was specifically trans-antagonistic in nature, it does not include murders resulting from intimate partner or family violence nor does it include cases in which a trans-antagonistic motive has not been ascertained. It also does not include suicides—often the result of the psychological and emotional violence done to trans folks by a trans-antagonistic world.According to a 2013 report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, our trans friends, family, and neighbors have long since been at a greater risk of deadly violence, particularly transwomen of color. Trans members of our communities are disproportionately at risk of police violence and intimidation. Transwomen are nearly twice as likely, compared to other survivors, to experience sexual violence. And, so often, this very specific kind of violence is overlooked, even when a perpetrator is identified; it is only in the last three years that there has been a concerted push to end the use of gay and trans panic defenses. Given our current political climate, the level of risk facing trans folks is, if anything, rapidly growing and there is a mounting, palpable fear among trans people and us who love them.So, before I get to the names that we need to hold in our hearts, I want to direct your attention to a few places that could really use your help. If you can, I urge you to donate to or, where possible, volunteer with these organizations; if you can’t, I hope that you will spread the information far and wide.

• Trans Lifeline is primarily for immediate support of trans folks in immediate crisis and is geared toward preventing self-harm and suicide. The “hotline is staffed by the true experts on transgender experience”: trans-identified people. Donate here.
• Trans United Fund is a 501(c)(4) (social welfare) organization that distributes funds to organizations that “demonstrate a strong and proactive commitment to tackling issues like HIV/AIDS, immigration, violence, unemployment, and healthcare disparities, which disproportionately impact trans and gender expansive communities.” One of the organizations they have partnered with is the Trans Relief Project, which is doing the desperately needed work of providing monetary assistance to trans folks to help cover the administration fees of obtaining identification documents, particularly passports. Donate here.
• Transgender Law Center is an organization that advocates for changes in public policy and laws “so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.” They also, through their hotline, provide legal information regarding laws that impact trans folks, including those around employment, identification, civil rights, and family law. Donate here.
• S. You Are Loved collects and posts letters of support and acceptance as a direct counter to all of the messages of hate often aimed at the trans community. Write a letter (or several letters) and email it to psyal168@gmail.com and then share the Facebook page often and widely.
• And, as always, search for organizations in your area that are working to support the trans community and find out what you can do to help support their work.

I want so much for this list to grow shorter every year until there is no reason to compile a list at all. Please consider finding whatever ways you can to pitch in toward that effort.If you are a person who prays, I hope that you will lift these names up and commend their spirits (and the spirits of those whose names do not appear on this list) to peaceful rest. If you are like me, someone who does not pray, I hope that you will join me in honoring these people and commending their energy (and that of those whose names do not appear on this list) to the universe.J.W. da Silva - 24 years old – Paudalho, BrazilJulia Sofia – 20 years old – Nazaré, Bahia, BrazilYasmin Montoy – 20 years old – São Paulo, BrazilUnidentified woman – Sorocaba, BrazilW.R. Alexandre – Baixada Fluminense, BrazilUnidentified woman – Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilRafael Silva – 17 years old – Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilChaiene da Silva – Paudalho, Pernambuco, BrazilLarissa – 31 years old - São Paulo, BrazilH.J. Silva – 37 years old – Sítio do Quinto, Bahia, BrazilPâmela Pereira – 16 years old – Conceição do Jacuípe, Bahia, BrazilUnidentified woman – 24 years old – Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilTaina W.P. Alencar – 22 years old – Londrina, Paraná, BrazilHilda A.J. da Silva – 46 years old – Aliança, Pernambuco, BrazilBruniele – São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, BrazilErika W.P. de Arruda – 30 years old – Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilBrenda – Castanhal, Pará, BrazilTiffany Rodrigues – 23 years old – Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, BrazilUnidentified woman – Londrina, Paraná, BrazilThiemy Oliveira – 24 years old – Maringá, Paraná, BrazilAdriane Bonek – 43 years old – São Pedro da Aldeia, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSabrina E.D. Sales – 25 years old – Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia, BrazilUnidentified woman – João Pessoa, Paraíba, BrazilEdymara M. Leão – 36 years old – Lago Norte, BrazilNickolle Rocha – 19 years old – Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilPandora Pereira – 26 years old – São Sebastião, São Paulo, BrazilDaiane Brasil – 26 years old – Uberaba, Minas Gerais, BrazilJulia Almeida – 28 years old – Ituverava, São Paulo, BrazilDanielly Barby – 24 years old – Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, BrazilSheila Santos – Calabar, Bahia, BrazilLorran Lorang – 19 years old – Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUnidentified woman – Manaus, Amazonas, BrazilGabriel Figueira de Lima – 21 years old – Manaus, Amazonas, BrazilPaula – Goiandira, Goiás, BrazilLauandersa – Genipabu, Caucaia, BrazilAna Hickmann – 30 years old – Rio Branco, Acre, BrazilMichele de Souza – 22 years old – São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, BrazilLeticia Silva – 22 years old – Belém, Pará, BrazilAlana da Silva Pessoa – 22 years old – João Pessoa, Paraíba, BrazilJéssica L.C. Menezes – 24 years old – Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, BrazilLuana Biersack – 14 years old – Novo Itacolomi, Paraná, BrazilAmanda Araujo – 17 years old – Imperatriz, Maranhão, BrazilBianca Abravanel – 25 years old – Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, BrazilAndinho – Aracaju, Sergipe, BrazilGabriela Rodrigues – Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, BrazilKeyti – 42 years old – Imperatriz, Maranhão, BrazilD.S. Barros – 21 years old – Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, BrazilM. Moreira – 16 years old – Sinop, Mato Grosso, BrazilCamilla Rios – 32 years old – Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUnidentified woman – BrazilMika P. da Silva – Macau, Rio Grande do Norte, BrazilMaría la del Barrio – Manaus, BrazilV. – João Pessoa, BrazilUnidentified woman – Gravatai, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilNatascha – 37 years old – Tarumã, São Paulo, BrazilUnidentified woman – Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilUnidentified woman – Carapicuiba, São Paulo, BrazilMalu – 30 years old – Maracanaú, Ceará, BrazilFabiane Hilario – 20 years old – Curitiba, Paraná, BrazilDani – 20 years old – São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, BrazilBruna Souza – 23 years old – Rio Verde, Goiás, BrazilKetelen Alves – 23 years old – Manaus, BrazilGiovana Atanazio – 20 years old – São José dos Campos, BrazilUnidentified woman – Fortaleza, Ceará, BrazilThiago Fernando Batista – 30 years old – Rome, ItalyPaulett Gonzalez – 24 years old – Celaya, Guanajuato, MexicoAlisha – 23 years old – Parda Bagh, Faqirbabad, PakistanRaina Aliev – 25 years old – Dagestan, RussiaLorena Reyes – 32 years old – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, SpainAmphon Kongson – 28 years old – Pattaya, ThailandHande Kader – 24 years old – Istanbul, TurkeyMonica Loera – 43 years old – Austin, Texas, USAJasmine Sierra – 52 years old – Bakersfield, California, USAMaya Young – 25 years old – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USAKendarie/Kandicee Johnson – 16 years old – Burlington, Iowa, USAKeyonna Blakeney – 22 years old – Rockville, Maryland, USATyreece “Reecey” Walker – 32 years old – Wichita, Kansas, USAMercedes Successful – 32 years old – Haines City, Florida, USAAmos Beede – 38 years old – Burlington, Vermont, USADevin “Goddess” Diamond – 22 years old – New Orleans, Louisiana, USADeeniquia Dodds – 22 years old – Washington, D.C., USADee Whigham – 36 years old – St. Martin, Mississippi, USAErykah Tijerina – 36 years old – El Paso, Texas, USARae’lynn Thomas – 28 years old – Columbus, Ohio, USAT.T. Saffore – 26 years old – Chicago, Illinois, USACrystal Edmonds – 32 years old – Baltimore, Maryland. USAMay they all rest in peace and in power and, most of all, in love.