From Pride Source: http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=57081
National Trans Leader Inspirational At EMU
By Jerome Stuart Nichols
Originally printed 11/29/2012 (Issue 2048 – Between The Lines News)
YPSILANTI -
Trans people don’t always have a lot to celebrate. Besides the fact that the odds are stacked against them financially, socially and judicially, they’re also much more likely to be victims of violence. This is why each year on Nov. 20, we take a bit of time out to celebrate and recognize those who have lost their lives due to transphobic violence.
To recognize this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, Eastern Michigan University’s LGBT Resource Center hosted prominent trans activist Mara Keisling. As she’s known to do, the towering Michelle Obama fangirl brought her patent-pending sense of humor and charm to the discussion. Her speech focused on themes of transgender rights and issues, racism in the trans community and offered tips on how to be a trans ally. It was an inspiring night capped by a lively Q and A and a reflective candlelight vigil.
Although mostly unknown to people outside the movement, Keisling is the founding executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality and is one of the most knowledgeable people on the topic of trans issues, making it an easy decision to invite her to share her message and perspective from a national level.
“EMU is really lucky to have her here, especially on the eve of TDoR,” EMU LGBTRC Program Coordinator Mary Larkin said. “Just being able to have such an intimate conversation with her I think is really beneficial to our students. I know a lot of the students were really excited about that happening. My Facebook status today says, ‘play it cool today’ because I feel a little excited but I want to be professional.”
The goal of the event was to remember and celebrate, but also to inform. Since people spanning the gender spectrum were in attendance, this presented a great opportunity to spread knowledge and bridge gaps.
In the fight for trans equality, it is important to connect trans and to other people. Often, it’s a lack of knowledge that proves to be a barrier to understanding. Recently, NCTE and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force quantified these issues and the results are disheartening. Trans people have an unemployment rate twice the national average, are four times more likely to live on less than $10,000 a year and 91 percent of them have faced difficulties in their work place because of their gender identity.
Then there’s the issue of health care.
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