Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 20 each year goes unnoticed by
the world's population, but for the transgender
community, it is a sombre day of reflection
and remembrance. Each year, trans people
are attacked and left with injuries that are
often permanent and disabling, and many die
for no other reason than they are transgender.
It is a difficult fact to reconcile for the transgender
population and those who support us
in our struggles for equality.
We in the developed Western world can't afford to be smug and say that it doesn't happen here; it does, and with greater numbers than are often reported. The transgender population of Washington, D.C. has been the victim of a stalker/serial killer this past year. A girl was beaten in Baltimore for using the washroom. (She is very passable and would normally go unnoticed in the population, but this time she was known to her attackers.) Virtually every major city in North America, including quiet London, Ontario, can show statistics of violence against the transgender population. As I said though, often these events go unreported by the victims.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has noted that despite the "assumed" protections under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the transgender population is continually marginalized and prevented access to employment, healthcare, housing, education, legal access, etc. They published this finding in 1999 and 2000 when they wrote: "There are, arguably, few groups in society today who are as disadvantaged and disenfranchised as the transgendered community. Transphobia combined with the hostility of society to the very existence of transgendered people are fundamental human rights issues" (Policy on Discrimination and Harassment because of Gender Identity, March 30, 2000. p. 2; Toward a Commission Policy on Gender Identity; Discussion Paper; October 1999. p. 42).
Factoid: 36 per cent of Ontario's transgender population has completed college or university. A further 28 per cent have some college or university education. Half of Ontario's transgender population earns less than $15,000 per annum. (Trans Pulse Survey E-Bulletin #1 July 2010.)
In considering the above statistics, it leads one to wonder what the actual employment rates are. Again, Trans Pulse reports that of the transgender population, only 37 per cent were employed full time, and 20 per cent were unemployed. Also worthy of note is that of all employed transgender people, 45 per cent had to present in their birth gender to be or remain employed.
In 1999, the Ontario Human Rights Commission announced, "By adding the ground 'gender identity' to the Code, there would be no doubt legally or politically that transgendered people have the same protections as everyone else." (Toward a Commission Policy on Gender Identity;Discussion Paper; Ontario Human Rights Commission; October 1999. p. 31). Still, 12 years later, the government has not adopted this recommendation.
EGALE Canada (Equality For Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) is a Human Rights organization devoted to advancing equality in the LGBT communities. In May 2011, they released their national study regarding Homophobia, Bi-phobia, and Transphobia in Canadian schools. In their report "Every Class in Every School" they wrote:
- 90 per cent of trans youth hear transphobic comments daily or weekly from other students
- 23 per cent of trans students reported hearing transphobic comments daily or weekly from teachers
- 74 per cent reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression
- 25 per cent reported having been physically harassed because of their gender expression
- 24 per cent reported having personal property damaged or stolen.
- Transgender students were far more likely than sexual minority students (lesbian, gay or bi-sexual) to be harassed or assaulted
These statistics are alarming at the least, yet the abuse and discrimination continues seemingly without abatement, and worse; without significant consequences.
Most recently, The Institute for Canadian Values ran advertising in The National Post and the Toronto Sunday Sun that was blatantly transphobic. The National Post printed an apology for the oversight and violation of their advertising and editorial standards. The Toronto Sun to date has not followed suit. This advertising could easily lead to increased violence against the transgender population if the reader were to take the material out of context. The content of the advertising was misleading and erroneous with a singular intent: to target the transgender population for discrimination.
Factoid: 77 per cent of transgender people have considered or attempted suicide. (Trans Pulse E Bulletin #2 November 2010)
One might well be asking at this juncture what most of this has to do with The International Transgender Day of Remembrance. The fact is that the transgender population is visible, and without specific protections of law, subject to discrimination and violence. Those who are living stealth, and not visible, can just as easily to become a victim if outed either by accident or intentionally. People can lose their livelihoods, family and friends; find themselves homeless; and again be at increased risk for violence.
So, on November 20, please take a moment to say a silent prayer of remembrance for lives lost; lives that had meaning, love and peace. Lives lost for no other reason than being born transgendered. Remember those who have been maimed or injured that they may resume their lives.
Human Rights can never be exclusive.
About the Author: Kimberley is a transgender advocate/effectivist working for equality for the Transgender Population through local, provincial and national thrusts. She is a part-time professor with Fanshawe College.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
We in the developed Western world can't afford to be smug and say that it doesn't happen here; it does, and with greater numbers than are often reported. The transgender population of Washington, D.C. has been the victim of a stalker/serial killer this past year. A girl was beaten in Baltimore for using the washroom. (She is very passable and would normally go unnoticed in the population, but this time she was known to her attackers.) Virtually every major city in North America, including quiet London, Ontario, can show statistics of violence against the transgender population. As I said though, often these events go unreported by the victims.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has noted that despite the "assumed" protections under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the transgender population is continually marginalized and prevented access to employment, healthcare, housing, education, legal access, etc. They published this finding in 1999 and 2000 when they wrote: "There are, arguably, few groups in society today who are as disadvantaged and disenfranchised as the transgendered community. Transphobia combined with the hostility of society to the very existence of transgendered people are fundamental human rights issues" (Policy on Discrimination and Harassment because of Gender Identity, March 30, 2000. p. 2; Toward a Commission Policy on Gender Identity; Discussion Paper; October 1999. p. 42).
Factoid: 36 per cent of Ontario's transgender population has completed college or university. A further 28 per cent have some college or university education. Half of Ontario's transgender population earns less than $15,000 per annum. (Trans Pulse Survey E-Bulletin #1 July 2010.)
In considering the above statistics, it leads one to wonder what the actual employment rates are. Again, Trans Pulse reports that of the transgender population, only 37 per cent were employed full time, and 20 per cent were unemployed. Also worthy of note is that of all employed transgender people, 45 per cent had to present in their birth gender to be or remain employed.
In 1999, the Ontario Human Rights Commission announced, "By adding the ground 'gender identity' to the Code, there would be no doubt legally or politically that transgendered people have the same protections as everyone else." (Toward a Commission Policy on Gender Identity;Discussion Paper; Ontario Human Rights Commission; October 1999. p. 31). Still, 12 years later, the government has not adopted this recommendation.
EGALE Canada (Equality For Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) is a Human Rights organization devoted to advancing equality in the LGBT communities. In May 2011, they released their national study regarding Homophobia, Bi-phobia, and Transphobia in Canadian schools. In their report "Every Class in Every School" they wrote:
- 90 per cent of trans youth hear transphobic comments daily or weekly from other students
- 23 per cent of trans students reported hearing transphobic comments daily or weekly from teachers
- 74 per cent reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression
- 25 per cent reported having been physically harassed because of their gender expression
- 24 per cent reported having personal property damaged or stolen.
- Transgender students were far more likely than sexual minority students (lesbian, gay or bi-sexual) to be harassed or assaulted
These statistics are alarming at the least, yet the abuse and discrimination continues seemingly without abatement, and worse; without significant consequences.
Most recently, The Institute for Canadian Values ran advertising in The National Post and the Toronto Sunday Sun that was blatantly transphobic. The National Post printed an apology for the oversight and violation of their advertising and editorial standards. The Toronto Sun to date has not followed suit. This advertising could easily lead to increased violence against the transgender population if the reader were to take the material out of context. The content of the advertising was misleading and erroneous with a singular intent: to target the transgender population for discrimination.
Factoid: 77 per cent of transgender people have considered or attempted suicide. (Trans Pulse E Bulletin #2 November 2010)
One might well be asking at this juncture what most of this has to do with The International Transgender Day of Remembrance. The fact is that the transgender population is visible, and without specific protections of law, subject to discrimination and violence. Those who are living stealth, and not visible, can just as easily to become a victim if outed either by accident or intentionally. People can lose their livelihoods, family and friends; find themselves homeless; and again be at increased risk for violence.
So, on November 20, please take a moment to say a silent prayer of remembrance for lives lost; lives that had meaning, love and peace. Lives lost for no other reason than being born transgendered. Remember those who have been maimed or injured that they may resume their lives.
Human Rights can never be exclusive.
About the Author: Kimberley is a transgender advocate/effectivist working for equality for the Transgender Population through local, provincial and national thrusts. She is a part-time professor with Fanshawe College.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
