Carleton’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Centre held a letter writing event on Tuesday to encourage students to reflect on this Thursday’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, honouring victims of transphobic violence.
Participants could address personal notes to victims of transphobic violence, transgender youth or their past or future selves. They could also write advocacy letters to politicians, school boards or the general public about transgender issues, including violence and barriers to accessing medical care.
Some of the letters have been scanned and posted around campus, with organizers hoping they can draw attention to trans perspectives.
“I want the broader community at Carleton to also be thinking of Trans Day of Remembrance,” said Jocelyn Deng, the centre’s administrative coordinator.
“There’s a lot of transphobic rhetoric in the news, [especially] American news, and even in governments here. It’s prevalent, and it’s important for people who aren’t involved in the trans and queer community to learn more about it in any way they can.”
Aidan Kallioinen*, CUSA’s vice-president of student issues co-hosted the event and said writing letters can transform feelings into meaningful action.
“It’s a good opportunity to communicate concerns in a concise way that encourages follow-up, debate and discussion about these issues,” Kallioinen said.
He said posting them around campus can spark conversations about transphobic violence.
“Students might come to an event like today and not realize these contemporary issues that are out there, and be compelled to write and learn more about them.”
Lachance said they found the activity cathartic, and with reflection also comes anger.
“I want trans and queer people to understand that it’s okay to feel angry at the world — that you don’t have to just be sad or just celebrate what we have.”
Lachance said the Transgender Day of Remembrance is important in recognizing that people are murdered for being transgender.
“People like us are getting murdered every day just for existing. If we don’t care about it — if we don’t memorialize it — nobody is going to.”
Despite the frustration some participants described when thinking about the transgender community’s history of marginalization, others wrote about hope.
Vick Harracksingh, a second-year journalism and humanities student, dedicated his letter to transgender youth in the United States.
“I can’t imagine being a young trans person in America right now,” Harracksingh said. “I wanted to convey that there’s hope for the future.”
“I want people to be happy on their journey because it’s an inevitable one,” Shaw said.
“We have to make the most of it.”
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*Aidan Kallioinen has previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured image by Zayn Daureeawoo/the Charlatan.
