NEWS & LETTERS, August - September 2009
Voicing the silent 'T'
This speech was given Nov. 5 in Chicago at the "Question 1" Rally, a protest of the vote in Maine that overturned legislation allowing same-sex marriage.
Today, I want to talk about the "T" in LGBTQ. You see, in the transgender community, people say that in LGBTQ, the "T" is always silent. But I don't want to believe that.
Because the battle is not just at the altar. It's on blue and pink baby blankets, in gendered public restrooms, and at Hunters Nightclub right here in Illinois.
My intention today is to ask you a simple question: why do we all share the same acronym? I mean, how are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning struggles all connected? It's not about how we view our bodies, whom we love, or where we party. It's that as kids, we were bullied for the same reason. We grew up feeling "wrong" for the same reason. We internalized hate for the same reason.
It's the reason why, in the early hours of June 28 40 years ago, trans women of color rose up at Stonewall and issued the "NOT ANYMORE" that echoes through rallies today.
That reason is called gendered oppression. Transphobia and homophobia are one and the same.
According to the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, people perceived to be trans are 17 times more likely to experience violence than people perceived to be gay in this country. Transgender people cannot stand up for marriage rights if we are not allowed to stand at all.
I'll be honest with you: I personally don't want marriage. I want our youth off the streets and out of prison. I want our elders to have the healthcare they deserve. And I don't want these things to depend on partnership status. But you're my family, so I stand with you today.
I am moved to ask you, will you also stand for trans struggles? Hunters Night Club in Elk Grove Village has instituted a door policy that bans patrons whose IDs do not match their gender presentations. This policy is unlawful, and unless you stand up with me and condemn it, the virus will spread.
So today I ask why you march under a rainbow banner? Is it because our dream is an impossibly tall mirage, with false promise of golden fortune from start to finish? Or is it because you live in the spectrum?
Thank you for committing to justice. I am proud to share your acronym.
--Kate Sosin, Co-Founder, Genderqueer Chicago
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