During a vigil for the Transgender Day of Remembrance ( TDOR ) on November 15, 387 stones in the colors blue, white, and pink—the flag’s colors—were thrown into the glass to commemorate the number of LGBT people whose lives had been lost to violence since October 1, 2022.
Through poetry observations, music shows, and a keynote address from Raja Gopal Bhattar, executive director of the Center of Identity and Inclusion at the University of Chicago, the Ithaca group gathered in the Tompkins County Public Library to honor the lives lost and enjoy the life.
According to the Trans Murder Monitoring Report, 320 reported trans and female different people lost their lives to crime in 2023. 94 % of the fatalities involved transgender women, 80 % involved racism, and 73 % took place in Latin America.
Rita Hester was murdered in 1998, and every trans woman’s life was lost before her, so the TransGender Day of Remembrance, which is observed on November 20th, was founded in 1999 by the activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith.
The open remarks for the ceremony were delivered by Foula Dimopoulos, an advisor for Cornell University’s Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program and Higher Education Opportunity Programmes. According to Dimopoulos, TDOR honors transgender people’s lives in a world that has grown increasingly unfriendly to them.
According to Dimopoulos,” TDOR” is a time for action. The definition of ceremony is” that in its purest feeling.” It is about holding room, gathering, remembering, and taking action in the process.
During the ceremony, Ryka Aoki’s poem” Why Dust Shall Never Sit Upon This Soul” was read aloud by Cornell student Noor Sabharwal. He praised the effort and love that went into the occasion for its inspiration.
According to Sabharwal,” The vigil is a testament to how our neighborhood comes up to consider, honor, and enjoy each other.”
Living in a neighborhood with LGBTQ+ events, according to Sabharwal, makes her feel safe and honored, and it is reassuring to know she can find other people who share her identity and sense of community.
According to Sabharwal,” Tomorrow’s vigil required a lot of collaboration from various people.” ” That was just beautiful to see, not just from Ithaca, but also from Tompkins County and over.”
The Ithaca College Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services, The Cortland LGBTQ Center, Cornell University’s LGBT Resource Centre, and Thursgays at The Range all provided funding for the ceremony. A” Trans Joy” drag show was held at Thursgays at The Range as part of the celebration.
Ithaca College has been working with neighborhood businesses to approach the ceremony every year since 2020, when the occasion was entirely online during the crisis, according to Crissi Dalfonzo, director of LGBTQ Education, Outreach, and Services.
It’s crucial, according to Dalfonzo, that the ceremony become a neighborhood gathering. Having a space where [you can be together ] is really important, regardless of your university associations, whether you’re enrolled in one of the schools or just an Ithaca citizen.
Dalfonzo previously held the position of associate director for the LGBT tool centre at Cornell University from 2018 to 2023 before moving to Ithaca College.
The event’s administrator and library assistant, Sasha Raffloer, said that many thought went into holding the occasion at the library.
Raffloer said,” We’ve had this occasion before, but this is the first day at the libraries because we’re trying to involve more members of the neighborhood.” Therefore, the greater gay community in Ithaca is not just Cornell and Circuit students.
Raffloer added that it was crucial to ensure that attendees could attend the event in a secure and comfortable environment.
Raflloer said,” In the past, we’ve gotten backlash for our pride-related activities, but it’s certainly on our mind. However, we had safety, and every member of our staff had received training on how to handle these problems.
It is difficult to avoid feeling self-centered about being able to go LGBTQ+ events in Ithaca while trans people who lost their lives were unable to receive the same level of support, according to native Eden Coyne.
Coyne said,” I just have to be thankful.” ” These points and various occasions support me and my area, so I must be grateful for them.” More people should be grateful that they have this freedom, in my opinion.
Coyne claimed that while lamenting the loss of life, the shows and poetry readings offered moments of release.
Coyne remarked,” It was n’t just supposed to be sad. ” I believe those performances and readings of the lyrics were intended to add that finishing touch to the occasion now, and it was well done. It was also supposed to be happy.”
26 transgender and female non-conforming individuals were killed in the United States in 2023, according to the Human Rights Campaign. 50 % of the victims were either deadnamed or misidentified by the police or the media. This is referred to as a “double death,” according to Bhattar in the presentation speech.
In the headline, Bhattar stated that” not only are we murdered, but we also do not get to occur in our names in death.”
According to Bhattar, the statistics show a diversity in the identities of the people who were murdered, and it’s critical to acknowledge that sexism, stigmatization, racism, among other forms of oppression all contribute to violence against transgender people.
When they were invited to speak, Bhattar said,” TDOR is one of the most important events of this year, and they could never say no.”
According to Bhattar, attending a celebration like this “reminds me to recognize the history and the violence that has occurred, but also to commit to being true to myself, taking up space in my gayness and my gorgeousness, and to be visible in the community because I have an obligation to do that.” ” I’m making room for people whose voices were taken away too soon.” It serves as a confirmation for me of my personal job and the unfinished business.
Dalfonzo formally announced the creation of the Ithaca Pride Alliance in the closing remarks of his remarks. The firm, according to Dalfonzo, was established to look for more connections and society among the LGBTQ+ population in Ithaca. The IPA will collaborate with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to prepare Pride and long-term events, share solutions, and offer training for and about the LGBTQ+ area during the summer of 2024.
85 bills that would have prevented transgender people from obtaining care and gender-affirming treatment, legitimate recognition, and the right to occur in public have been passed in 2023. Two payments have been introduced in New York to forbid trans women from participating in middle school and high school athletics. Hattar emphasized the significance of calling senators and representatives and raising awareness of expenses like these.
According to Bhattar,” Talk to your college boards, discuss your gender, your identity, and anyone else who may subscribe to you.” You have a duty to speak up and do the work even if they do n’t listen to you.
Kaden Shea’s monitoring is contributing.
