Transgender Supporters Mark Remembrance Day

BOSTON—Members of Boston’s transgender community gathered last night as part of an annual effort to remember the victims of violence against transgendered individuals.

The fifth annual event, part of the national marking of Remembrance Day, drew about 100 people to the Arlington Street Church for music, responsive readings, speeches and a candle-light procession down Boylston Street.

The Rev. Laurie J. Auffant opened the memorial service, saying, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Later on, she elaborated on the group she was addressing, explaining that transgendered people “do not identify with the tiny ‘M’ or ‘F’ box.”

In one of the evening’s more emotional moments, Auffant offered audience members name tags with basic information of transgender individuals who have been murdered as part of a hate crime.

Jordan B. Woods ’06, the political chair of Harvard’s Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA), explained that the transgender community has been suffering from an especially high rate of violence recently.

“It’s especially important to know that this year has been horrible in terms of transgender violence. On average 12 people per year are murdered in transgender violence, and this year we had 38 cases,” Woods said.

At last night’s ceremony, community advocate Jenny Sullivan spoke about the goals of ahead of her, explaining the need for people to take a more active approach to the problem of violence against the transgender community. One of the most effective ways to combat the violence is through education, she said.

Auffant stressed the focused that needs to be paid to the youth in the transgender community, especially in raising awareness and educating others.

“Out of 38 people killed, six o-f these people were 19-years-old or younger, two were 16-years-old or younger and nine were 20 to 25-years-old,” explained Ethan St. Pierre, a family members of one of the victims honored last night.

Speaking before the ceremony, members of the BGLTSA said that much education was needed on campus.

“I think that the biggest problem is the complete, total lack of awareness and an assumption that the number of [transgender] people is so small that it does not affect the campus. There are material problems, such as single-gender rooms and bathrooms. There are also extreme difficulties in changing names in the directory,” said Margaret C.D. Barusch ’06, who is co-chair of BGLTSA.

“Giving respect to victims only takes you so far, we need to educate to create social change,” Woods said. “As accepting as we are, we are not as accepting as we could be.”