THE WORLD REMEMBERS FALLEN TRANS PEOPLE

By Lesego Tlhwale (BTM Intern)

ALL AFRICA – 23 November 2009: Candles were lit in different cities throughout the world on Friday 20 November, in remembrance of all fallen transgender people murdered because of their identity, as the world commemorated the 11th international Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).

In Botswana, According to Skipper Mogapi, at 6 pm on Friday candles were lit by members of Lesbians and Gays of Botswana (LEGABIBO), remembering “the violence and all the bad things that have happened to Trans people” in the world.

In South Africa, Gender Dynamix, an organisation dealing with the expression of sex and gender, together with Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA), on this day released a book titled TRANS: Transgender life stories from South Africa.

South African groups also remembered Daisy Dube, who was shot and killed in Yeoville in 2008 because of her gender identity and Aunty Victoria, who attempted suicide and later died in Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, early this year.

Simone Heradien, board member of Gender Dynamix pleaded with the wider community of South Africa to join in remembering the casualties of hatred, intolerance and injustice.

She also appealed to the media, politicians and the general public to remember that human rights are for all citizens. “We are human first before gender, race class or creed and South African laws acknowledge and respect the concept of gender expression not being a fixed notion”, she said.

Meanwhile Transgender Europe revealed that this year more than 160 Trans persons will be added to the to the list to be remembered, mourned and honored, an update of the preliminary results of transgender Europe’s new research project.”

Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring project also divulged that, in the first 10½ month of 2009, 150 murders of Tran’s people had been reported already.

Behind the Mask spoke with trans people in different African countries about what TDOR meant to them, and Tebogo Nkoana of Gender DynamiX in South Africa said “It is actually a bit emotional for me, because it brings all the memories of Transgender identifying people who were killed due to their gender identity.

“It reminds me that tomorrow I might be on the list of those who have died simply because I am transsexual”, he said.

A trans Human Rights Defender in Uganda, whose name is withheld because of the situation in that country said “we will be with the rest of the nation in spirit, as we can not celebrate due to the current ‘Anti-Homosexual Bill’ that is currently being tabled in our country.”

He however urged the world to stop the violence and the killings of trans people, “because if you kill me today, another trans will be born tomorrow”, he pointed out.

Bongi, a transman from Kwa-thema Township, in South Africa said “it is saddening that for a revolution to happen innocent blood has to be spilled and for some to acknowledge that Trans do exist.”

“Our biggest challenge is intolerant people who do not want to accept that there is diversity in this world we live in, hence we find ourselves dying for who we are”, he said.

Started in 1999 the day is held to raise public awareness of hate crimes against trans people, provides a space for public mourning and honors the lives of those trans people who might otherwise be forgotten.

TDOR was celebrated in more than 120 cities in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.