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trans2009-03-23 09:54 am
tngsquill.livejournal.com) wrote in trans2009-03-23 09:54 am
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Another attack in Sacramento, CA.
I got an email yesterday about another trans person who was attacked in Sacramento at a light-rail station. According to the email, the attacker may be the perpetrator of another hate crime here.
Man... I am just at a loss here. You know, NO-ONE should be a target for violence simply because of who they are! No-one -- that includes: women, people of other races, gay and lesbian people, trans individuals... the list goes on and on. But it seems like those in the trans community are seen as easy victims by thugs that wish to harm someone who is different then they are. And the bigger problem lies with the fact that we often are rather hidden in our societies and when a crime occurs against us it is invariably shoved under the carpet by the police and the media.
I know a trans named Jessica, which was the name of the victim that has yet to come forward and ID her attackers. I am not her friend really, we are simply too different in many aspects. But I don't hate her, and I sure hope that she is not the one that was attacked. It is horrible that anyone was attacked by these ruthless, inhuman thugs, but even though anything in my community hits close to home -- to actually know the victim would be... well, devestating.
I called one of the directors of the local Gay and Lesbian center to ask if there is a way that we could get the trans community together to discuss this. Maybe even have a police officer there to discuss with all of us ways to stay safe and what to do if attacked. I don't know -- I just feel like after last year when Ruby Molino was killed and now the recent spate of attacks against trans individuals here in Sacramento lately, we need to come together as a community and build bridges and networks to expand our safety zones and give some sense of a hope of protection and comfort in our surroundings back to all the trans' out there hidden out of fear in our community.
I feel some sense of responsibility to make this happen. Maybe I am over-stepping my bounds here. But, after the supreme court ruling we really need to be vigilant because the targets on our backs will grow exponentially. We always bear the brunt of acts of terrorists that want to send a message of intimidation and fear to the larger GLBT community. But we cannot give in to that fear. We cannot live our lives in hiding and give in to these thugs. But we need some sort of reassurrance, some sort of belief in our systems of laws that protect the innocent from violence and abuse. We need to come out of the wood-work and stand up together so that these crimes do not happen hidden and in the dark. We need to know that we are not alone.
Man... I am just at a loss here. You know, NO-ONE should be a target for violence simply because of who they are! No-one -- that includes: women, people of other races, gay and lesbian people, trans individuals... the list goes on and on. But it seems like those in the trans community are seen as easy victims by thugs that wish to harm someone who is different then they are. And the bigger problem lies with the fact that we often are rather hidden in our societies and when a crime occurs against us it is invariably shoved under the carpet by the police and the media.
I know a trans named Jessica, which was the name of the victim that has yet to come forward and ID her attackers. I am not her friend really, we are simply too different in many aspects. But I don't hate her, and I sure hope that she is not the one that was attacked. It is horrible that anyone was attacked by these ruthless, inhuman thugs, but even though anything in my community hits close to home -- to actually know the victim would be... well, devestating.
I called one of the directors of the local Gay and Lesbian center to ask if there is a way that we could get the trans community together to discuss this. Maybe even have a police officer there to discuss with all of us ways to stay safe and what to do if attacked. I don't know -- I just feel like after last year when Ruby Molino was killed and now the recent spate of attacks against trans individuals here in Sacramento lately, we need to come together as a community and build bridges and networks to expand our safety zones and give some sense of a hope of protection and comfort in our surroundings back to all the trans' out there hidden out of fear in our community.
I feel some sense of responsibility to make this happen. Maybe I am over-stepping my bounds here. But, after the supreme court ruling we really need to be vigilant because the targets on our backs will grow exponentially. We always bear the brunt of acts of terrorists that want to send a message of intimidation and fear to the larger GLBT community. But we cannot give in to that fear. We cannot live our lives in hiding and give in to these thugs. But we need some sort of reassurrance, some sort of belief in our systems of laws that protect the innocent from violence and abuse. We need to come out of the wood-work and stand up together so that these crimes do not happen hidden and in the dark. We need to know that we are not alone.