Malicious Manifold Miscellany

Good morning all (or whatever it is when you read this.) If you're in this channel, you probably already know about the Trans Day of Remembrance, but as this is the 25th one, I feel like a brief reminder of why it started is warranted.

On November 20th, 1995, Chanelle Pickett was murdered by a known chaser, and the murderer not only changed his story during the trial (initially claiming the BS "trans panic" defense), but at least four witnesses to his conduct were not allowed to testify. The murderer would only receive 2 years in prison and 5 of probation.

A little over three years later, on November 28th, 1998, Rita Hester was murdered as well, stabbed in her own apartment, not far from the previous killing. Her murderer was never caught, but as with Chanelle Pickett, media coverage and police reports regularly misgendered her, only adding to her family and friend's pain and disrespecting her memory.

TDoR was founded the following year, on November 20th, 1999, after activists noticed how quickly the 1995 murder had faded from community memory: violence against trans and non-binary people (and especially black trans women like Hester, Pickett, and Monique Thomas, killed 2 months before Hester) was so common, we had almost forgotten her already.

So whether or not you go to a vigil or other TDoR event, please:

Remember the names of those who've fallen without disrespecting them as the media and police often do.

Remember that violence against us should not be normalized no matter how often it happens and that every loss is a tragedy whether you personally knew the victim or not.

Grieve in your own way, but also as you read or hear the list of names this year, don't let that grief drown your other emotions: joy in finding who you are, pride in your community, anger at those who do violence against us and the government and justice system that often fails us, and anything else your heart has you feel.

Finally, remember that you are loved, you matter, and no matter where you are, you have a community out there ready to accept the true you.

Hold on, stay strong, and never forget.

www.group-telegram.com/id/maliciousany.com/3153

507 viewsChymos, Nov 20 at 14:39

Good morning all (or whatever it is when you read this.) If you're in this channel, you probably already know about the Trans Day of Remembrance, but as this is the 25th one, I feel like a brief reminder of why it started is warranted.

On November 20th, 1995, Chanelle Pickett was murdered by a known chaser, and the murderer not only changed his story during the trial (initially claiming the BS "trans panic" defense), but at least four witnesses to his conduct were not allowed to testify. The murderer would only receive 2 years in prison and 5 of probation.

A little over three years later, on November 28th, 1998, Rita Hester was murdered as well, stabbed in her own apartment, not far from the previous killing. Her murderer was never caught, but as with Chanelle Pickett, media coverage and police reports regularly misgendered her, only adding to her family and friend's pain and disrespecting her memory.

TDoR was founded the following year, on November 20th, 1999, after activists noticed how quickly the 1995 murder had faded from community memory: violence against trans and non-binary people (and especially black trans women like Hester, Pickett, and Monique Thomas, killed 2 months before Hester) was so common, we had almost forgotten her already.

So whether or not you go to a vigil or other TDoR event, please:

Remember the names of those who've fallen without disrespecting them as the media and police often do.

Remember that violence against us should not be normalized no matter how often it happens and that every loss is a tragedy whether you personally knew the victim or not.

Grieve in your own way, but also as you read or hear the list of names this year, don't let that grief drown your other emotions: joy in finding who you are, pride in your community, anger at those who do violence against us and the government and justice system that often fails us, and anything else your heart has you feel.

Finally, remember that you are loved, you matter, and no matter where you are, you have a community out there ready to accept the true you.

Hold on, stay strong, and never forget.

BY Malicious Manifold Miscellany