GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others.

~Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman (106BC-43BC)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

COMMENTARY

 Transgender Awareness Week has concluded. Forty-one transgender and non-conforming sisters and brothers murdered in the United States. This year's Transgender Day Of Remembrance vigil was emotionally draining for me. 

I attended two vigils. The one I went to yesterday also presented TGNC who committed suicide. One person was just sixteen. I was personally affected five years ago by the suicide of someone I met just two days prior. It's very sad that a person resorts to this simply because she/he cannot live in the gender/identity they really are. It's disconcerting when, reading the names of the deceased, the person you read was just seventeen years old.

Looking ahead, attacks against transgender and non-conforming people are being ramped up. Our soon to be ex-president gave permission to homophobes, transphobes, and racists to unleash their hatred and vitriol. How many more lives will be lost because people are so blinded by hate.

Transgender and non-conforming have been around since life began. we will always be around no matter what. It's high that society, politicians, and law enforcement understand that we ask to be treated as human beings. 

 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

 

 

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Forty-one transgender people were reported murdered in the United States. Over 350 have been murdered worldwide. There are many more who go unreported or are misgendered. Most were women of color. There were four transgender men. At least five were 21 years of age and younger.  I was emotionally drained later in the evening after attending a vigil.

I want to pay special tribute to Monica Roberts, a transgender activist and advocate who lived in Houston, Texas. Ms. Roberts passed away on October 5th of natural causes at 58. She was instrumental in my education about transgender people of color when I came out. Her blog, Trans Griot, which she created, was chock full of information about how trans people of color were an integral part of past and present LGBTQ movements.

Ms. Roberts was very vocal about the racial discrimination of transgender people in the criminal justice system. She made sure that who died were properly represented in their chosen gender. Ms. Roberts was instrumental in many changes which improved the lives of transgender people in the Houston area and beyond.

I corresponded with her for over a decade. I will miss her insight, honesty, and passion. RIP, MONICA!

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

 The members of SAGE held its 8th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil this evening. We celebrated the lives of the 41 transgender men and women murdered in the United States and Puerto. The vast majority were people of color. At least five people were 21 years old and under, the youngest being seventeen. 

I read a spoken word piece titled '41' in honor of the folks who were murdered. It has been suggested that the day be renamed 'Transgender Day of Remembrance and Resilience.' I like the idea. In spite of everything we are a resilient group.

SAGE celebrated TDOR today (actual day is November 20th) so we wouldn't be in conflict other vigils.

TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEEK

 This week homage will be paid to all the transgender people who lose their lives through violence. It is also a time where people can learn more about who we are and what we are about. 

There will be day of remembrance ceremonies all over the world. I will be participating in one here locally with a monologue piece. The actual day of Transgender Day of Remembrance is November 20th. The ceremony I will attend is on the 19th. There were thirty-four reported transgender deaths, the vast majority are women of color. There are probably more however many people are misgendered or not reported. This has been the bloodiest year for transgender and gender non-conforming people. 

GENEVIEVE'S GEMS

 It's really great to see the queer landscape really change to include everybody and make the rest of the world understand that we're not just one or two things. There's so much about the queer community that needs to be represented. 

~Nico Santos, Actor (b. 1979)

BICURIOUS

 The COVID pandemic has forever changed how we live our lives. On a personal level,  this time has revealed some deep yearning and feelings about what it is to be transgender and queer. The lens of how I view life When I was going through my gender questioning phase it was a matter of time that I discovered that was transgender. Now I'm bicurious and wonder where this will lead.

I  

TDOR

 TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

                      NOVEMBER 20TH

COMMENTARY-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

 Today former Vice-president Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. The absentee and military ballots are being counted but it looks like Biden will win. 

I did not vote for Biden ( I voted third party) as I view him as a safe but mediocre candidate. Biden supported issues in the past that I was opposed to. He supported the Patriot Act. He also supported the invasion of Iraq. 

I was offended when he said if I am black and don't vote for him, then I'm not black. I am black and I had to deal with this stuff from some of the black students when I was in junior college (many of my friends were white).  I wish we were past all this but when Donald Trump was elected he brought all the racists out of the closet. 

I pray that people will be brought back together for the sake of the country. I've never experienced the polarization palpable like I have the past four years. What will happen next only time will tell. I believe there were better candidates than Joe Biden. Today, the Democratic and Republican parties are two sides of the same coin. In conclusion, I believe people picked the lesser of two evils.

ELECTION DAY

Today is the last to vote for the next commander-in-chief. I voted early as many people did. When the polls close here in NYC at 9PM, the wait begins.