Trans Day of Remembrance - Action Is the Antidote to Fear

Each of the lives on this list—and the many others whose names we will never know—represents a deep well of loss. A loved one taken from friends, family, and community. They each deserved more time, more joy, more safety. They deserved a better world than they were given.

Today, we mourn the lives stolen from us. Tomorrow, we continue to fight for better. We continue to make their legacy one of resilience and hope—not fear. We continue to build a world where trans people—not transphobia—thrive.

To my trans colleagues and friends who do this work by bravely walking out your door each day, please accept our thanks and support. Your existence should not be radical. It should be celebrated. Shopping for groceries, riding the bus, stopping for a coffee—these simple tasks that make up a day should not require an act of bravery. But we see—as we scroll through this list of names—that they do. And so your willingness to live visibly remains the most potent form of resistance we have.

Equitas Health is participating in Ohio … We Are in This Together! Transgender Day of Remembrance, a virtual event hosted by TransOhio, Crossport Cincinnati, Margie’s Hope, Transgender Advocacy Council, Gatlyn Dame Group, Heartland Trans Wellness, and Full Spectrum Community Outreach. You can participate in this Facebook Live event by visiting the Facebook page of any of the organizing organizations at 6 PM this evening. Please join me in thanking Prevention Health Navigator Mel Carroll for representing Equitas Health in the planning of this event.

You can also join the Mozaic team this evening at 9 PM as they participate at the Columbus Trans Day of Remembrance virtual program.

Finally, as we are all well aware, these 350 deaths worldwide represent only a piece of the broader manifestations of hate and bias violence. The culture of dehumanization, identity policing, and bigoted humor—name-calling and slurs condoned by our most powerful leaders—make room for anti-trans physical and sexual assault, and in these cases, murder. In addition to offering support and advocacy services for people who have been targeted by hate and bias violence, our BRAVO staff tracks reports of hate speech and violence and in so doing is able to identify patterns and prevent future attacks on our community.

Reporting acts of hate to BRAVO makes our communities safer. If you or anyone you know has experienced violence, threats, or intimidation, we urge you to contact BRAVO with whatever information you have. You can reach the BRAVO hotline at 1-866-862-7286 or at BRAVO-ohio.org.

Sincerely,

Bill Hardy

President & CEO

Pronouns: He/Him