Dear Friends, Allies, Trans* Identified folks, and those who stray from Gender Norms,
In this modern age, an age where we as people almost daily spark revolutions against the oppressors and who battle for those who cannot battle for who they are. We who have stood up to large governments and said "We shall not take this anymore!" and have fought tooth and nail to be the people we are. We who have helped each other out in moments of desperation. These moments, these times we live in we have yet to shed light on something that is horribly terrible. Something that is never brought to light in ways that I feel should be brought to the attention. Given the attention and awareness we need to be giving it.
I speak of course about the persecution of the Trans* Community. The community where as people, who live and fight tooth and nail to be who they are. These people are shut up, given up on, and labeled as wrong for being who they are. Being Trans* is so much more than just transitioning and changing your gender and/or sex. It's about being a person who has overcome the challenges of being part of the Gender Norms. About standing up and saying "I am an amazing human being and it's time that I too have this known." Yet, these brave souls who have been cast from the society they want to so desperately to hold onto. These brave souls on a daily basis deal with so much scrutiny and oppression that it is unjust and not to bare. They after years of bullying and moments of weakness. These people let go. They let it all go and no longer deal with these terrible woes. I am of course speaking out on those Trans* individuals who are Bullied, Teased, Humiliated, and Oppressed by their own governments for being who they are commit suicide. Only because it's a better option than to feel that life has been unjust and cruel. Only because we as people see Trans* as a affliction to society and treat it as a disease. We are violently lashed at, oppressed, and wrongfully imprisoned to the point that we see this life as negative. I want to save us all, and I want not another soul to leave this world because they are Trans*. I want them to live and lead happy, healthy, and positive lives.
For it being called a "Disease" we treat those who "suffer" from being Trans* as a plague we must eliminate by extreme means. We either take it into our own hands and commit suicide to escape the torment or we are victims of brutal hate crimes that either leave us dead in the streets to be discovered or horribly beaten to the point that we may never lead a life. Statistically being Trans* comes with the highest amount of suicides and hate crimes against them. Those who are People of Color have even higher rates because they are not only Trans* but also exist in another oppressive system. Which, it should never be like this. Folks should never deem anothers life better and the ones they have. We must take action, we must be aware, and we must be ready to be that action. I ask of you to take it into your hands and make a change. I want you to stand up and speak out against the hate that Trans* persons have, and to ever make the effort in your community to make them aware that it's not okay to be cruel to those who are different from you. Those who are made to suffer because the majority see them as sick.
Please visit #NotOneMore and share your stories of being oppressed and how you over came them. Share your local stories of violence towards Trans* people. Only because to get the world to understand that these crimes to happen and the we are treated unfairly we have to expose them at high rates. Remember, that you are who you are. You should be allowed to exist as you deem fit. For that I love you.
~Tegan Rowan Stryker
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