The day began in 1999 after the 1998 death of Rita Hester. Her murder, like so many transgender murders, remains unsolved.
Rev. Paul Turner has an excellent memorial posted at Rev. Bitch, Sir:
The people we mourn for this day are apart of the community most would just as soon not deal with. Oh we go to watch the drag shows and tell our jokes and we have added a “T” to the GLB_Q but don’t really take seriously folks in the transgender community live in a very dangerous and un-supportive world.
We do not take seriously they find it extremely difficult to get jobs, get health care or any kind of support and dignity.
In fact just this past month Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi and the HRC made it clear they were not even worth naming in a piece of legislation design to give us job protection. The political spin was that it could not pass if the transgender community was part of it.
In fact, the leaders of HRC told me they were nothing more then a “political calculation”
So the message went out loud and clear...it is still open season on those who would dare to transition from one gender to another.
Let us pray for those we have lost:
A Prayer for Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 20th
God of creation, Source of life,
we behold your newness with each new day.
We watch how the seasons transition
from winter to spring to summer to fall
and then the cycle is renewed.
Your creative process of life
is ever before us in all its diversity
and human life is no exception.
As we observe Transgender Day of Remembrance,
we pray with thanksgiving
for those whose lives have been cut short
by fear, hatred, and violence
because they were perceived to be different,
because they had the courage to live their lives
with integrity and openness,
because they did not conform
to someone else’s view of how they should live.
We remember and give thanks
for the seasons of their lives,
for the love and friendships they shared
and the ways in which their living
has been a gift to us all.
Be present to those of us who are grieving,
may your peace rest on us.
Be present to those of us who are angry,
may the power of your love inspire and embolden us
to use our anger to dismantle hate,
the fear of difference and all that incites violence.
And send us out into the world
with the wisdom and guidance of your Spirit
and with evangelical courage
that we may work in solidarity with one another
to build your community of welcome, justice and peace.
We pray in the name of the Christ, who transforms the world. Amen.
Prayer by Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer,
Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2006
3 comments:
Thank you for your kind words and especially thank you my sister for remembering this day!
God Bless,
PP
Yes, thank you, Candace! It has meant so much to me these last few days to see so many of my lesbian and gay friends and heroes remembering. Thank you for having true compassion--for suffering with those who have suffered and who continue to suffer. Please do not think of yourself as merely an ally today. When you choose to suffer with us--when you acknowledge the simple fact that when one suffers, all suffer--you cease to be an ally. In a profound and sublime way, you become one of us. This deep truth is as theological as it is anthropological, and it is universal, perhaps the only universal truth there is, or the only one that is ultimately worth knowing.
My prayer is that I may apprehend this truth. May I receive the grace of suffering with you, my friends, and with all people, that we may all be one.
Ally, I used to not care that much about transgender people until I was gently and lovingly educated by a few of them who let me ask my stupid questions and learn about their lives.
Now, I believe I prefer TG folks to all others. Their courage and their unbelievable tenacity to be who they know they were created to be always inspires me. I willingly and gladly suffer with my TG brothers and sisters. Their struggle is mine and I will work tirelessly to secure their rights just as I do mine.
Thank you for your post! I hope you visit often.
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