The life expectancy for the average person living in the United States is 78.2 years. The life expectancy for the average transgendered person is only 23 years.
Rita Hester was 35 years old when she was brutally stabbed to death in her apartment in Allston in 1998. She had been a popular and outgoing woman in the community for over ten years when she was murdered, and her loss shocked and saddened everyone who knew her. Like many crimes against transgendered people, her case is still unsolved.
Too many lives have been cut short under horrific circumstances. Too many lives have been lived in fear of misunderstanding, prejudice, and violence. This has to end.
Not only do we have a responsibility to do our part to end the physical violence against transgendered people in our community, we have a responsibility to help stop the emotional and psychological violence done to trans people every day. This emotional and psychological violence is so subtle that it can often be overlooked, but it is just as dangerous. Anxiety, depression, and suicide rates are all higher in the trans population than it is for cisgendered people.
On Sunday, November 18th, Boston’s annual Transgender Day of Remembrance will be observed at 4:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral near Downtown Crossing. Keshet will meet at 3:00 pm in front of the chapel to observe the day as a Jewish community. We will have selected readings and thoughtful discussion before we join the main memorial service.
Find more resources for Transgernder Day of Remembrance at Keshet’s website.
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