Picture this: it's a crisp early December night, and you're walking down the sidewalk of a semi-urban street, carrying a candle whose flame flutters in the night, struggling to stay lit. On one arm, the mother of a trans woman who has just been murdered, and on the other, the sister. Trailing behind, a seemingly endless stream of mourners carrying candles. Against the semi-darkness of a busy street dominated by the sound of traffic and the glare of street lights, the stream struggles for visibility. The mother at your side is not shy about sharing her grief with the world around you, and her cries into the night - "Who took my baby!" - echo off the walls on either side. You did not know the murdered girl for whom the outpouring of grief and solidarity materialized almost overnight, but you cannot help but be moved, deeply, by her mother's generous sharing of her grief. You are part of a community of caring people who have lost one of their own to violence. The somber vigil moves on into the night, following as you lead the bereaved family to the site of the brutal crime. Your entire being resonates with shared loss.

I was asked today to provide some transgender history for the upcoming GLBT history month (October). I did some research, and was disappointed to find some events that I considered pivotal to our history absent from most accounts.

The most important missing event, I think, is the demonstration on behalf of murder victim Brandon Teena on May 15, 1995. That's my photo from the event at right, showing a local news camera person and some of the demonstrators (click to enlarge).

Below is my email to "Jamie," including an account of the Brandon Teena demonstration, written shortly after by one of three event organizers, Davina Anne Gabrie. Following Davina Anne's account is my own brief observation.

Date: 05/18/95 11:23:03 PM

Jamie,

You're welcome to post whatever you wish. Here's the latest:

The Brandon Teena vigil was a resounding success. The weather was
perfect, the speakers brilliant, the sheriff supportive, the townsfolk
confused... and yes, there was some hostility, but much more support and
compassion. Here's one person's account:

Nancy & Gordene dress up in style for GenderVision's "Politics of Drag: Drag Queens & Theatre." They're joined by Abe Rybeck, artistic director of Boston's Theatre Offensive, for a wide-ranging discussion of the politics of drag, from personal stories to political demonstrations to the founding of the Theatre Offensive. Abe is joined in Part two by Eugene Tan, who lends his unusual perspective as a drag performer under the name of (among others) “Becca D'Bus”.

Also included on the DVD is a new transgender civil rights advocacy video produced by GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) in a collaboration among leading activist organizations in Boston. Titled "Everyone Matters," the 10-minute piece makes the case for non-discrimination protections for transgender persons, and is well suited to group presentations.

Order the DVD now, with the advocacy video and two complete half-hour GenderVision programs. All proceeds benefit transgender activist work, including the production of GenderVision.

Now available, the latest program from Gordene O. MacKenzie, PhD and Nancy Nangeroni, this one titled "Same-Sex Marriage." In part 1, Pat Gozemba and Karen Kahn, authors of Courting Equality: A Documentary History of America's First Same-Sex Marriages talk with Gordene and Nancy about the first days of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. In part 2, Marilyn Humphries joins Karen and Pat to comment on, and share the stories behind, her photographs in Courting Equality.

Marilyn Humphries is an independent photojournalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, The Progressive, Bay Windows, and the Boston Phoenix.Pat Gozemba is a professor emerita of English and women's studies at Salem State College, and founding member of The History Project, documenting LGBT movements in Boston since 1980.
Karen Kahn is former editor of Sojourner: The Women's Forum, an activist, community-based, feminist newspaper. She edited Frontline Feminism: Essays from Sojourner's First 20 Years (1996).

After a particularly nasty morning segment targeting transgender kids, and a follow-up segment refusing to apologize, the hosts of a morning radio program apologize appropriately. Listen here.

In this new GenderVision program we dive into employment issues faced by transgender persons. As transgender people work towards fair and equal protection of their right to work, at both state and federal levels, many grapple with the realities of being singled out for mistreatment in the workplace. Ethan St. Pierre, FTM transsexual and former security supervisor, talks about his experience of being harassed and fired simply because of his gender. Alishia Ouelette, MTF transsexual firefighter, talks about her experience as a firefighter in Danvers, where she remains on the job after undergoing intense public scrutiny.
Watch now at www.gendervision.org

Gender Education & Media, Inc., the non-profit that supports the production of GenderVision and the maintenance of GenderTalk, announces the release of a new GenderVision program, "Feminism, Sex & Gender." This latest installment of the monthly series features Jaclyn Friedman, a queer Jewish writer, award-winning performance poet, co-founder of the "Women, Action & the Media" conference, and co-editor of "Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Power and a World Without Rape."

Join Nancy and Gordene as Dr. MacKenzie starts the conversation with a historical perspective on sexuality and feminism, from suffrage and Kinsey to ending violence against women. Then follows a lively discussion of a fresh perspective on feminism, sex and gender in today's world.

Also new, GenderVision is now being distributed to cable operators via internet, so it's easer than ever for your local cable channel to carry GenderVision. More Information

You can always watch the latest GenderVision at GenderVision.org.

Thanks for watching!

Transgender persons, like everyone else, have health care needs, but theirs are most often poorly understood by providers who have little to no experience with this population. Alejandro Marcel, diversity educator and trans health consultant, joins with hosts Nancy Nangeroni and Gordene MacKenzie, PhD., in outlining the needs and concerns of transgender persons in their access to health care. Discussion ranges from barriers to receiving treatment, to specific differences between male-to-female and female-to-male needs, to the most recent results of medical studies.

Other program segments include a response to a transgender-disparaging Fox News segment, and a "Raving Raven" segment on gender diversity among animals.

Watch this and other GenderVision programs anytime at www.gendervision.org

Listen to these inspiring words, my friends! She speaks with fierce simplicity and grace.

Brought to our attention by our good friends at Courting Equality.

Last night in Allston, nearly 200 people walked once again the path taken by the candlelight vigil for Rita Hester ten years ago. It was my honor to have led that first vigil for Rita, and to speak to our assembled circle last night prior to our reading of the names of this year's victims (and all those from MA). For what it's worth, my words:

Ten years ago, our sister Rita Hester was brutally murdered because she happened to be transgender. We gathered here with her family, and marched in solemn vigil for Rita.

We came from diverse identities and communities, united by our outrage at the horror perpetrated against a friend, a fellow community member, a human being treated inhumanely.

On that cold November night 10 years ago, a new community was born. A community of transgender people, friends, family and allies freshly connected with all of humanity in a growing bond of mutual respect.

For this, we owe Rita a great debt.

For her sacrifice was not chosen, but rendered upon her.
And we benefit from her horror, and the suffering of others, like Matthew Sheppard, James Byrd, and countless others, now including Duanna Johnson, whose suffering helps us move the most cynical of heart to say, finally, enough.
Enough violence.
Enough denigration.
Enough disrespect.

We stand here tonight in solemn vigil, not as people prefixed with any kind of descriptor or pronoun, but as human beings brought together by our abhorrence of senseless violence and the oppression of yet another class of people.

Thank you, Rita, and your family, for the friendships you made, and for your great loss, which has become our rallying cry.
And thank you, everyone out here on this very cold night, and those preparing hot drinks for us back in the church.

Thank you for caring.