Online exclusive: The grave consequences of intolerance

We go to school. We work at our various places of employment. We socialize in coffee shops, bookstores and bars. And a great number of us get to do so without the slightest notion of fear. We are missing this sensation because many of us don’t have to leave our homes worrying about intolerance or prejudice. While we are fortunate enough to find ourselves in this position, we are ignorant in regards to how often others must suffer through it.                 

This Saturday, Nov. 20, will mark the 12th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day that was created to honor those who have been affected by violent acts against trans-identified individuals. It is meant not only to be a day of recognition for the victims, but also to be a way to promote empowerment for those who consider themselves trans. Portland State will be doing its part by hosting related events leading up to a vigil, which will be held Saturday evening.

The word “gender” carries a lot more meaning then it used to. It has grown from a simple physiological definition into a word that is all-encompassing of sex, social roles and psychology. We are bound to it in many ways because it is commonly one of the main aspects that are so immediately apparent about us. It is among the first impressions and observations people have when encountering one another.

It is possible that people think of gender in the same terms as black or white; that everything is innately male or female. But it is closer to the truth that most of us will fall somewhere along a sliding scale in the gray area. No person is 100 percent masculine or feminine, and thus we are free to find what is comfortable for us, and how we wish to identify. Since this task of discovering ourselves is our own personal endeavor, it’s nothing short of a shame that one could be discriminated against for who they truly are.

We are complex living organisms that fall into an outstanding number of categories and subcategories. It is our nature as Americans and human beings to pick apart and label people for what they represent—male or female, old or young, vegan or carnivore, wealthy or unemployed, hipster or super-hipster. With every angle there is an opportunity to find common ground or fuel discrimination. But boiled down, each of us is solely in charge of the pieces that represent our identity. No one else should be able to decide what is right for us, including our gender.

In a progressive city like Portland, is it all too easy to forget that such animosity is frequently targeted towards those that identify as transgender. Across the states, there is a constant struggle for the media to publicly recognize hateful and violent crimes committed. If we hope to continue to boast true equality in our country, we have to acknowledge the crimes against our transgender brothers and sisters.

Over the last 12 years, the Transgender Day of Remembrance has been successful in memorializing hundreds of individuals whose lives were cut short prematurely. Since the year 2000, the Transgender Day of Remembrance organization has documented 413 cases to date of murder, beatings and other incidences resulting in death within the transgender community. The deaths are gruesome and terrifying—ranging from stabbings, shootings and more.

This day of remembrance is more than a day to reflect and remember those whose lives have been lost, but to call to attention to a serious issue within our society—one of intolerance that has grave consequences.

I hope it is with pride and unconditional support that we can participate this Saturday and look forward to a future in which such awareness will manifest a more positive atmosphere for all of us to coexist in.