Hope Is Not A Plan; Take Action For Trans Lives
Yesterday was Transgender Day of Rememberance and a crowd of people gathered in the quad at Simmons University to honor the lives lost to anti-trans violence. Standing in the cold, spread apart and masked, we heard from speakers who had been instrumental in securing the rights of Black trans women in Boston. Charlese, who has worked tirelessly for decades to make it safe to be trans in Boston, shared her story. “They told me I wouldn’t make it till 18, then they told me I wouldn’t make it to 21...today I am 44 years old” she said, and as the crowd clapped, I felt the heaviness of that reality. We still live in a world in which it is a triumph to live to the age of 44 as a black trans woman.
We heard from artists, community organizers, and leaders who dedicated their work to the memory of Rita Hester, the trans woman whose death here in Allston, MA inspired the first Trans Day of Remembrance in 1999. We learned about the the mural to celebrate her life and legacy in the city of Boston and the gender-nonconforming trans-femme former Boston artist-in-residence who inspired it all, Golden. We honored the memory of Jahaira DeAlto, a 42-year-old trans woman of color, who was killed on May 2, 2021 in another act of anti-trans violence in Boston. Jahaira had spoken at Rita’s memorial in 99’, only to have her own name spoken two decades later.
We huddled together in an attempt to prevent the wind from blowing out the candles as the names of all 47 trans and gender non-conforming people who were killed this year were read aloud. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence came prepared with lighters and continued to circle around, blocking the wind with their habits and leather jackets, ensuring that everyone's candles stayed lit. As the music played and the names and ages were listed, people who had never met before drew close to one another, connected by mourning, and a collective need not lose one more light too soon.
Julia R. Golden, the interim president of Trans Resistance MA reminded us that “hope is not a plan”, that we must take action.
We must ask ourselves,
What are you going to DO to ensure that trans women of color and the most vulnerable among us are protected?
What are you going to DO to support trans youth whose medical care and ability to participate in sports and school activities is in question?
What are you going to DO when it isn’t Trans Awareness Week or Trans Day of Remembrance, but trans people are still being disproportionately marginalized, stigmatized and criminalized?
Hope is not a plan, so we have to make one.
Here are 8 actionable steps that you can start taking today:
Change how we use gendered language. The language we use matters and can either signal safety and support or cause harm. Start to notice your own habits and assumptions about people's gender or pronouns, and encourage those around you to do the same.
Pay Black, Brown, and Indigenous trans people. This can be in the form of donations to organizations but should also be directly to folks through gofundme and mutual aid funds. If you ask a BIPOC trans person to speak at your event or hire them for a service - PAY THEM WELL.
Bathrooms are a basic need - make them accessible. It is a privilege to not have to worry about or notice bathroom options. Everywhere you go you have an opportunity to be on gender-neutral bathroom patrol. If you don’t find one, address it with whomever is in charge.
Encourage inclusivity and awareness at our school/work/community. If your school or organization brings outside speakers or hosts events, make sure that some of them include trans folks and PAY THEM. If your business donates to nonprofits, suggest organizations that support the trans community and ask for matched donations. If your school/organization/place of worship/etc. posts community events on social media, include some from or for the trans community.
Find out about the laws in your state and take action! Did you know that the “Trans/LGBTQ+ Panic” defense (to justify hate crimes against the trans community) has only been banned in 16 states in the US? Check out this map to see the status of the law in your state. Know the laws in your city, state, and on a federal level that affect trans people and get involved. That could mean calling your elected officials, organizing a letter-writing campaign, signing petitions online, or collecting signatures for a ballot.
Work with schools, shelters, treatment programs and prison systems to make them safe for trans people. See resources from the National Center for Trans Equality , GLESN, The Transgender Law Center for guidance. You don’t have to have all the answers to get involved!
Redistribute resources. If you can donate money that’s great - if you can’t, donate your time, labor, or expertise. Join me in taking responsibility for making the world a safer and more just place for all people by supporting organizations that work directly with and for the trans community. Here are some (of many) organizations doing important and impactful work:
For The Gworls: redistributes funds so Black transgender people can pay for their rent, gender-affirming surgeries, smaller co-pays for medicines/doctor’s visits, and travel assistance.
Trans Resistance MA: Advocates for the safety, joy, and liberation of TQBIPOC. They organize an annual March & Vigil that returns to the authentic origins of pride.
Trans Emergency Fund provides critical assistance for low-income and homeless transgender people living in Massachusetts.
The Okra Project: a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever they can reach them.
The Trans Defense Fund LA is a mutual aid group that was created in response to the disproportionate violence that trans women face. They provide safety kits, self defense classes, and mutual aid for trans folks.
The Knights and Orchids Society of Alabama strives to obtain justice and equality through group economics, education, leadership development, and organizing cultural work that will build the power of the African American TLGB community throughout rural Alabama and across the South.
Here are a few more.
8. 52 Things You Can Do For Trans Equality: If these don’t inspire you, or you want to do more, check out this list of 52 Things You Can Do For Trans Equality from the National Center For Trans Equality.
Hope is essential, but hope is not a plan. How will your hope become action?
Thank you to the Trans Resistance MA, Trans Emergency Fund, & Boston Healthcare for the Homeless who organized the Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil. Thank you for the sponsor, The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)
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