Below is a post written by the secretary of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), Joy Cruz on the events we're holding to commemorate TDOR in Manila.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is an event in the LGBT community established to honor and remember those who were killed because of anti-transgender prejudice (transphobia). It was founded to honor Rita Hester, whose murder in 1998 kicked off the "Remembering Our Dead" web project and a candlelight vigil in 1999 in San Francisco, California. Since then, the event has grown to encompass memorials in hundreds of cities around the world.
Following this worldwide and decade-long tradition, the Society of Transsexual Women in the Philippines (STRAP) will sponsor three activities on November 22 and 23, 2008. The first activity dedicated to the Transgender Day of Remembrance is the Trans Dialogues 1 which will happen on November 22, 2008 (Saturday, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM) at the Bernal Gallery UP Film Institute, University of the Philippines, Quezon City. It is an open forum where the issues and challenges of living as a transgender person in the Philippines will be discussed. Co-sponsors for this event are Ang Ladlad, the national organization of LGBT Filipinos and Rainbow Rights Project, a legal and policy think tank composed of lesbian and gay lawyers.
This will be followed by a solemn ceremony at the Order of St. Aelred Chapel in 82-D Masikap Street, Barangay Central, Quezon City at 5:30 PM on November 22. The STRAP Ladies will introduce during this time of prayer a new tradition, the Tree of Hope, which will symbolize the brave souls who have gone before us and will serve as a reminder that their lives were not lost in vain.
It will culminate with a mass and a candle ceremony on November 23 (Sunday, 5:30 PM) at the Metropolitan Community Church in the Philippines, 2580 A. Bonifacio Street Barangay Bangkal, Evangelista, Makati City.
Please join us during these events as we remember the dearly departed souls from our community.
3 comments:
That's the cool thing about the TDOR.
There's the basic part of the ceremony in terms of the lighting of the candles for the departed, but how you do it is up to you.
Hope it was successful
Thanks Monica. It was. I have to try not to cry next time though. Each of us read the 32 names this year and I got Sally Camatoy who died in the UAE. I couldn't keep it together and broke down.
I saw her documentary, "Paper Dolls" and heard of her death a week or two after the movie's premiere here in Manila. It was shattering news. She was such a caring person and seemed like she coudln't hurt a fly.
I hope next year there will be no list of names to read. I hope the global trans community will work together to ensure that.
To quote Dr. King sis, there will be difficult days ahead for us.
Before we get to the promised land of freedom for all of us, there will be finite disappointments such as what you peeps suffered with the adverse Supreme Court case.
You will also have some spectacular successes.
But unfortunately there will be a lot of our brothers and sisters who will not make it.
Our job is to help keep those numbers down while at the same time we push for freedom and justice.
Post a Comment