Transgender Day of Remembrance

Parent Cafe
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<p>I thought I’d mention that today is the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, with events held all around this country (and others) to commemmorate all the lives lost in the past year to transphobic violence and hate crimes. Trans people, although a comparatively small community in number, probably have the highest rate of death by homicide of any identifiable group in the population. Homicide that often involves an unspeakable level of rage and violence.</p>

<p>[Today’s</a> Transgender Day of Remembrance Honors the Dead - Chicagoist](<a href=“The Chicagoist”>Today's Transgender Day of Remembrance Honors the Dead - The Chicagoist)</p>

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<p>A long list of this year’s victims can be found at [T-DOR</a> 2009 english | TGEU - transgender europe](<a href=“http://www.tgeu.org/tdor2009english#t-dor-en2]T-DOR”>http://www.tgeu.org/tdor2009english#t-dor-en2) and at <a href=“http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=555[/url]”>http://www.transgenderdor.org/?page_id=555&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>A sad day.</p>

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<p>For the other side of the coin, this is a lovely piece by a friend of mine, the author Helen Boyd (whose spouse is a trans woman); it’s a reminder that in addition to the mourning of trans people’s deaths, their lives and accomplishments should be celebrated too: [Remember</a> We’re Living 2009 – en|Gender](<a href=“http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/11/21/remember-were-living-2009/]Remember”>http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/2009/11/21/remember-were-living-2009/) </p>

<p>And you may even recognize one of the people referred to:</p>

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<p>Thank you for letting us know about this, Donna.</p>

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<p>Is that you, Donna? So glad to know you are thriving after your ordeal last summer :)</p>

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<p>So your weight is up to – what, now? – 118? ;)</p>

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<p>Close. I actually weighed myself this morning, and I was all the way up to 117. Considering I was at 96 in July, that’s not bad! (Especially since I’ve been off the prednisone for a couple of months now, and no longer have the tremendous appetite that comes with it.)</p>

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<p>Donna–I was thinking about you the other day, and am delighted to see this post. I hope you’re continuing to be good to yourself and working towards full recovery and excellent health.</p>

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<p>Thanks for posting DonnaL and hope you and kid are both well.</p>

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<p>Hey Donna, thank you for posting this. You have no idea how much I’ve appreciated your posts. You’re so strong.</p>

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<p>Yes thank you.</p>

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<p>Good for you for posting this, Donna. </p>

<p>Wishing you well always, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.</p>

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<p>I’m happy that things are going well for you, Donna.</p>

<p>Although I’m still peeved that you didn’t take my 17 pounds! :D</p>

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<p>Glad to “see” you, Donna. I would be delighted to have coffee or a drink with you if / when you next come to the Chicago area.</p>

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<p>Happy Thanksgiving, Donna. I’m glad to hear that you are doing well. How is your son? I hope he, too, is well. </p>

<p>I’m glad you found the 19 lbs I have lost since this summer!I’ve been working hard to slim down.</p>

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<p>I hope this person’s suicide wasn’t related to being transsexual. </p>

<p>"LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles Times sportswriter, who announced two years ago he was a transsexual and was changing his gender to female, was found dead in a suspected suicide, the paper reported Saturday.</p>

<p>Mike Penner, 52, who shocked colleagues and readers after he announced he was becoming a woman in April 2007, then returned to work as a man, was found dead at his Los Angeles home, according to the paper.</p>

<p>Penner had worked for 25 years on the sports staff of the Times.</p>

<p>“He was one of the most talented writers I’ve ever worked with,” wrote Times Sports Editor Mike Jameson a blog on the Times Web site. “He was a gentle man, a kind man. It’s just a tragedy,” James wrote.</p>

<p>Penner revealed his transsexuality in a column in the paper…"
[Transsexual</a> Sportswriter Found Dead in Suspected Suicide - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com](<a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577665,00.html?test=latestnews]Transsexual”>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,577665,00.html?test=latestnews)</p>

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<p>That’s a tragic story. A number of people whom I know used to be quite friendly with Christine, until she de-transitioned and asked to be referred to as Mike again; at that point, it was apparently too painful for Mike to stay in touch with other trans people. Nobody knows why Mike/Christine committed suicide. But it’s hardly unreasonable to think it had something to do with transness. From what I understand, Christine had something of a difficult time with gaining social acceptance, at least in her profession, despite her employer’s support. I actually read more than one column by other sportswriters making extremely vicious fun of her appearance. Whether that was the reason for Christine’s de-transition, and whether the pain of living as a man again had anything to do with Mike’s/Christine’s suicide, I obviously have no idea. (Christine never wrote anything about the reasons for her de-transition.)</p>