We can’t deny it. We often forget that the LGBT community stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders / Transsexuals, yet we don’t always count the transgender members despite the fact that they have a harder time than most of us L’s, G’s and B’s!
To shorten this article and to immediately help you realise what it is like to be a transgender person in modern-day society, I have some statistics I would like to share that instantly put it into perspective:- 70% of female-to-male transsexuals and 43% of male-to-female transsexuals retain close contact with their families. That’s less than half of the females.
- 4 American transsexuals in 10 have attempted suicide. That’s 25 times higher than the rate of the general population.
- About 19% of transgender people report being refused medical care because of their gender-nonconforming status.
- 2% have been violently assaulted in a doctor's office.
Yes, gay, lesbian and bisexual people face similar discrimination, but on a different level. What makes it worse is that, sometimes, transsexuals can’t even find support from their own community; the LGBT community; our community. We’re together in the fight for equality. We have to stand up for one another and work towards this together, because otherwise we’re not a community.
The sad truth is that a lot of us know what it’s like to lose contact with someone on grounds of our sexual orientation, whether it’s a friend or a family member. So we know how horrible it feels to be rejected because of who you are. We should, therefore, try our best to remind people (whether they’re lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) that it gets better. We should be there to support them when no one else will, because we are all in the same boat, we’re all fighting for the same thing. Homophobia or transphobia? Who cares? The basic definitions are the same; hating someone because of who they are.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia, or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community. Since it was set up, TDoR has been held annually on November 20th and last year it was recognised in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries worldwide. Even if you’re not transgender, take part in TDoR this year. Whether it’s setting up a transgender pride event or writing a blog post, it will make a difference!
Find out more:
Susan’s place Transgender resources: www.susans.org
Transgender Day of Remembrance The website with all the info for TDoR: www.transgenderdor.org
LGBT Suicide Prevention Our list of suicide prevention helplines: More >>
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