Transgender Remembrance

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On Thursday 20th November 2008 the Gender Centre celebrated the Transgender Day of Remembrance with a small memorial service. Twenty10 G.L.B.T. Youth Service kindly provided access to their Aurora Room for the event. Youth workers, social workers and the N.S.W. Police Force were all represented in the cross-section of people in attendance.

A non-denominational service was conducted by Pastor Robert Clark from Granville Metropolitan Community Church. He spoke beautifully about transgender people and his own friendship with a trans woman. Some of his welcome speech and the memorial service are published below. Candles were lit after the prayers. Four commemorative candles were lit, then those present were invited to light small floating candles in memory of those who have died because of hatred, fear and ignorance in the world.

If you wish to participate in next year's service or catch up on any of the events at the Gender Centre, or events being run elsewhere with Gender Centre support, remember to check regularly with the Centre, either directly or through the Gender Centre website.

Pastor Clark's Speech (in part)

Welcome, distinguished guests to this Transgender Day of Remembrance. For those who may not be aware, the National Transgender Day of Remembrance was created in honour of Rita Hester, a transwoman, murdered on November 28th, 1998. Rita suffered a brutal attack in her home and died of multiple stab wounds. Her murder, like many others of our transgender siblings, remains unsolved.

Her death spurred activists to create the "remembering our dead" website project, dedicated to providing an accurate and honourable list of those murdered out of hatred.

This week, in churches and secular setting, remembrance gatherings are occurring in a myriad of cities across the world. These gatherings will continue until the killings cease.

I have here a list of 425 names of sisters and brothers, stretching over most continents, hopelessly lost through homophobia and unwarranted brutality. This list is a project of Gender Education and Advocacy in the U.S.A. We who are here today, however, are aware of those who have suffered and died in this country, and we honour them today.

Just over a week ago Australians honoured, in ceremonies much like this one, the nation's soldiers who fell in war. The ode of remembrance ends with the words, "We will remember them". Let us now in quietness, remember. Thank you.

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