UPDATE: National Media Coverage of KRXQ Hosts’ Apologies
June 12, 2009
Two weeks after mobilizing GLAAD supporters, Sacramento radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States apologized yesterday for their disparaging, anti-transgender remarks that promoted the abuse of transgender children.
Audio of the apologies can be found here.
Following Thursday’s broadcast, Vice President of Entercom Entertainment Sacramento, John Geary, released a statement describing the anti-transgender remarks as “hurtful” and “unacceptable.”
Geary went on to explain his hopes that KRXQ “can foster a greater level of tolerance and understanding by people on both sides of the [transgender] issue.”
Rob Williams also released a statement following yesterday’s broadcast in which he thanked his listeners:
Thank you for having the courage to stand by us and to keep the show in check. It was through the loyal listeners of the Rob, Arnie and Dawn show that Arnie and I were dragged, kicking and screaming, to the reality that we had gone too far and crossed a line in the eyes of OUR audience. It is still a point of sadness and frustration that it took us so long to acknowledge our mistake, believe our audience, and begin making things right. The show of Thursday, June 11 serves to set things in forward motion.
Additionally, several media outlets highlighted the KRXQ apology, such as the AP, the Advocate, the Sacramento Bee, and local television news stations, among others.
As noted in its Thursday press release, GLAAD will continue to monitor the show daily to ensure it stays within the bounds of fair, accurate and inclusive coverage. GLAAD will also continue promoting the stories of transgender people to the show and advising the hosts on covering transgender people with respect and dignity.
Related Posts:GLAAD Update on Today’s KRXQ Broadcast
June 11, 2009
Since June 1st, GLAAD has been actively mobilizing its supporters to take action against a highly offensive segment of the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show, which aired on May 28th. For the past 10 days we have been working collaboratively with like minded organizations and community members on this issue. You can about this joint effort here.
Today, the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show returned to airwaves with a special broadcast that included two transgender advocates. I was updating my Twitter feed live throughout the entire show.
After the broadcast, GLAAD released a statement on the show, which you can find here.
In our statement, we include quotes from Pam’s House Blend contributor and transgender advocate Autumn Sandeen and Trans Youth Familiy Allies Executive Director Kim Pearson who were featured on the 2.5 hour radio broadcast, without any commercial breaks.
In our statement, Autumn relayed:
I think this is the way we make change – and we don’t mean as individuals, but as a community. Humanity won the day. I think that’s what worked – we all became humans in the same room instead of stereotypes.
Kim also shared the following statement:
It’s not up to me to grant forgiveness or absolution, and people are going to hold their feet to the fire. I think this was a good thing, it was a good forum, it was productive, it was good for everyone listening – but time will tell. It was a good first step, but actions speak louder than words.
After the show, the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” website provided an update with links to both Pam’s House Blend and Trans Youth Family Allies. The broadcast is available for listeners to download here.
Local media outlets in Sacramento have consistently reported on the developments surrounding KRXQ with the most recent stories on today’s show featured in FOX40, The Sacramento Press and The Sacramento Bee.
GLAAD would like to thank new media reporters Autumn Sandeen and Michael Rowe for their crucial coverage on KRXQ, which brought the situation to new audiences and helped it become an educational moment for many.
A larger recap will be prepared tomorrow so please check back later for more updates on this story and others followed by GLAAD.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
KRXQ UPDATE: Tomorrow’s Show and More Advertiser Statements
June 10, 2009
As many know already from reading our previous update, the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show will begin re-airing on Thursday, June 11. GLAAD will be listening to the show that begins at 10:30AM EST/7:30AM PST. We will be paying close attention to the broadcast.
We have a few more breaking updates to share with you about what to expect tomorrow morning and the ongoing developments with advertisers pulling from the radio station.
People can tune in here to listen to tomorrow’s show featuring Pam’s House Blend contributor and transgender advocate Autumn Sandeen and Trans Youth Families Allies Executive Director Kim Pearson.
Please note the following information:
- The live broadcast will last for 2.5 hours
- There will be no commercial breaks whatsoever during the radio show
- People may call in during the show at the following number: 916-766-1044
- You can follow GLAAD Senior Media Strategist Andy Marra on Twitter during the broadcast @Andy_Marra
- GLAAD will be releasing our statement on GLAADblog.org and GLAAD.org soon after the show
GLAAD reminds its readers to be respectful and civil when calling into the radio station and expressing your views.
In anticipation of tomorrow’s show, GLAAD spoke with its sister organization, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The national organization advocating for safer schools recently released a report titled Harsh Realities that documented the experiences of transgender students in the classroom.
GLSEN wanted us to share their statement that reads:
GLSEN is horrified and outraged by the hateful comments directed at transgender youth made on the ‘Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning Show.’ Such comments are even more reprehensible in light of the fact that more than half of transgender students experience physical harassment in school based on their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression and more than a quarter experience physical assault. We can only hope that Thursday’s show will shed light on the need to make sure that transgender youth are safe in every school.
The Transgender Law Center also issued a statement about tomorrow’s morning that you can find here.
Earlier this afternoon, a GLAAD supporter also provided a tip about UC Davis Health Systems ending their relationship with the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show. The university’s medical institution released a statement that you can find here and here.
In the statement, UC Davis announced their decision to pull all advertising from the station. They also ended their partnership with the station that annually raises charitable dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network. The Sacramento Bee reported on the latest development immediately following the announcement.
GLAAD also received a statement from Home Depot clarifying their involvement with KRXQ. 
The statement reads:
The Home Depot is neither a sponsor nor has it committed advertising to this program. However, our ads are occasionally heard on KRXQ as part of a national radio buy. We have shared your feedback about the morning program with the network and the station directly, and have asked them to look more closely at where our ads are running to ensure they are in accordance with our standards.
We have strict guidelines in place to ensure the programs we support reflect the quality of our brand. Our advertising campaigns have one simple objective — to communicate with audiences in the most effective way possible. Feedback from customers like you plays a large role in helping us to maintain these standards.
Thank you for your interest in The Home Depot.
Local advertisers like Sleep Train and Guitar Center issued statements that you can find here and here. The LGBT community in Sacramento has been very active in leading efforts to contact local advertisers and urge them to pull their advertising contracts from KRXQ. The Sacramento LGBTQI Leadership Coalition, a local alliance of 15+ organizations has been coordinating on-the-ground efforts related to the radio station.
The coalition provided GLAAD with the following statement about their reasons for mobilizing the community:
The hateful remarks against transgender youth made by two primetime Sacramento radio hosts was shocking and hurtful to members of our city’s vibrant and diverse LGBT community. Gay and transgender youth are at high risk of depression, alcohol and drug abuse and suicide due to homophobic discrimination and abusive environments many face in their schools, homes and among their peers. All in our community feel a deep commitment to doing our best to shelter our LGBT youth to the greatest extent possible from these destructive societal pressures. No child should have to be afraid of being hurt or harassed for simply expressing his or her identity.
Please stay tuned for more details. Please check back with us for updates on this developing story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
UPDATE: Sleep Train and Others Clarify Record on KRXQ Advertising
June 9, 2009
GLAAD has received a few updates about KRXQ and their advertisers. Our extensive coverage on advertisers either pulling or not renewing contracts can be found here.
This update comes after GLAAD spoke with KRXQ yesterday, which you can read about here.
Sleep Train provided GLAAD with the following statement to share with its readers:
Thank you for taking the time to write us regarding the comments made on the Rob, Arnie and Dawn show on KRXQ. Rob, Arnie and Dawn have done a good job endorsing for us for many years. However, this time they went too far. We do not condone their comments in any way and we have made it clear to KRXQ’s management, Rob, Arnie and Dawn that their conduct was unacceptable.
Sleep Train is proud of our history of diversity and the inclusion of all the communities we serve. As a result, we have pulled our ads off of KRXQ until further notice.
We have also received other statements from Red Bull, Hawaiian Airlines and State Farm.
Red Bull sent us a statement addressing their advertising relationship with KRXQ:
Red Bull is not an advertiser on KRQX. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
We also were provided with a statement from Hawaiian Airlines who reportedly received a number of emails this past weekend. The airline states:
Hawaiian Airlines is not an advertiser on the station.
State Farm had a similar statement as Red Bull and Hawaiian Airlines. The company writes:
Thank you for your comments regarding State Farm running advertisements on station KRXQ in Sacramento. We have read your concerns and those of others with similar concerns. We take very seriously each comment we receive.
State Farm has not advertised on KRXQ in 2009. Once this particular show ran, we discovered that the station had not removed our company logo from their website and that mistake has been rectified.
Please stay tuned for more details. Please check back with us for updates on this developing story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
UPDATE: GLAAD Speaks with KRXQ Management
June 8, 2009
For those just now learning about this issue, please go here to read more about this evolving controversy.
At 11:45am EST, Cindi Creager, GLAAD’s Director of National News, and I spoke with the station manager at KRXQ. GLAAD successfully made the case for a transgender person and a parent of a transgender child to appear on the Rob, Arnie and Dawn show. We are right now in the process of securing Trans Youth Family Allies Executive Director Kim Pearson and Pam’s House Blend contributor and transgender advocate Autumn Sandeen for the broadcast.
As yesterday’s statement noted, KRXQ will be airing a special show on Thursday, June 11 at 7:30am PST.
It should be noted that Autumn was one of the very first reporters to shine attention on the May 28th segment alongside Huffington Post blogger Michael Rowe.
KRXQ has assured us that the June 11th follow-up show will be conducted in a “frank and positive manner.” It was explicitly stated to us that we will hear an apology from the radio hosts and listeners will be able to call in. As always, we remind everyone to be respectful and civil when calling into the show.
GLAAD has additionally suggested a transgender media training with our community partners. KRXQ was receptive to the suggestion and we will further discuss this following Thursday’s radio broadcast.
Media have been continuing to follow the story, garnering national coverage. Local media outlets in Sacramento have been especially helpful in covering this story – including The Sacramento Press, FOX40 and The Sacramento Bee. Community blogs have also been extremely effective in sharing updates on this issue and mobilizing readers to take action.
Finally, it should be noted that yet another advertiser has dropped their contract with the station. Guitar Center Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Norman Hajjar, directly reached out to GLAAD following emails from concerned community members.
Norman has provided us with this statement to share with our readers:
Last Thursday, I asked our media agency to speak to KRXQ about the outrageous comments made by their morning on-air team. I wasn’t satisfied with the station’s response. So we decided to pull our dollars from the station.
It’s simple: wrong is wrong. We don’t want our brand associated with such epic insensitivity.
Guitar Center now becomes the 11th confirmed advertiser to pull their contract from KRXQ. You can read more about the others here and here.
Please stay tuned for more details. Please check back with us for updates on this developing story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
UPDATE: Nissan Won’t Renew KRXQ Advertising Contract
June 5, 2009
On May 28, KRXQ radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States spent more than 30 minutes making dehumanizing and defamatory comments against transgender children. You can listen to the original broadcast here since it appears the audio is no longer available on radio show’s website.
Seven companies have confirmed they pulled their advertising contracts with KRXQ or will not renew in the future as a result of offensive comments made by the two shock jocks. Another company has decided to step forward and release a statement on the incident.
At 5:10pm, I received a phone call from Nissan North America. I spoke with the Director of Corporate Communications who wanted to provide GLAAD with the following statement on their advertising with KRXQ.
Nissan North America’s statement reads:
Nissan does not support the views expressed during the May 28th broadcast on the Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning show on KRXQ.
Our advertising purchase with this show ended June 1 and we will not renew it.
Currently the list of companies no longer advertising on KRXQ includes:
- Chipotle
- Snapple
- Sonic
- Bank of America
- Verizon
- Carl’s Jr (CKE Restaurants)
- Wells Fargo
- Nissan North America
Please check back with us for more developments on this story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
UPDATE: Wells Fargo Stands By Transgender Community
June 5, 2009
Today, GLAAD has received confirmations from three different companies pulling their advertising contracts from KRXQ. Bank of America, Verizon and Carl’s Jr have all publicly issued statements (here and here) that announced the pulling of their advertisements on the radio station as a result of the offensive comments made by radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States.
At 4:51pm EST, Wells Fargo reached out to GLAAD about KRXQ. Apparently, the radio station had placed Wells Fargo’s logo on their website leading people to believe they were current KRXQ advertisers.
Wells Fargo provided the following statement to GLAAD on the issue:
Thank you for your message. We appreciate your feedback and take such matters seriously.
We are strongly committed to equality for all and we do not tolerate discrimination. When we learned of the inappropriate comments made during the May 28th KXRQ broadcast we immediately removed our logo from the radio station’s Web site.
Wells Fargo was not an advertiser on the May 28 broadcast, is not currently advertising with KXRQ, and has not done so for more than a year.
We’re proud of our commitment of supporting many organizations that serve our diverse communities – which is consistent with our company values.
We very much appreciate your comments.
Diversity is at the core of Wells Fargo’s vision and values and Wells Fargo is honored to be on DiversityInc Magazine’s Top 50 list for 2009.
Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention.
Wells Fargo Communications
The list of companies no longer advertising on KRXQ includes:
- Chipotle
- Snapple
- Sonic
- Bank of America
- Verizon
- Carl’s Jr (CKE Restaurants)
- Wells Fargo
Please check back with us for more developments on this story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
UPDATE: Bank of America Becomes Fourth Company to Pull Advertising on KRXQ
June 5, 2009
At 12:55pm EST, Bank of America provided GLAAD with a statement announcing their decision to discontinue advertising on KRXQ.
In their statement, Bank of America wrote:
In response to your inquiry, I would like to express our thoughts to you regarding Bank of America’s decision to discontinue advertising on the station and show in question.
Bank of America is proud to be a leader in supporting diversity and continues to be widely recognized for our progressive workplace practices and initiatives to promote inclusion. This commitment to equality and diversity informs every aspect of our enterprise, including our approach to advertising. As a result, we adhere to a set of media buying guidelines for syndicated programming and for local stations that promote inclusion and help our company reach a broad range of diverse customers.Bank of America prides itself on fostering a corporate culture that is inclusive of all the communities we serve. Our customers, clients and associates speak different languages; support different family structures and life situations; and have unique and personal financial requirements. In order to meet the diverse needs of our customers, we require a variety of products and services, marketing and a diverse workforce that demonstrate and reflect our awareness and appreciation of who our clients and customers are.
We hope the immediate actions that we have taken demonstrate our longstanding support of diversity, and we hope you inform members of your organization of the steps that we have taken to address your concerns.
Thank you for your inquiry and bringing this to our attention.
Bank of America is now the fourth company to pull their advertising after Sonic, Snapple and Chipotle. You can read more about that here.
KRXQ is continuing to receive scrutiny due to the May 28th “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show radio segment where radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States made offensive comments against transgender children. You can listen to the segment here.
Later, they aired a follow-up broadcast that you can listen to here and read GLAAD’s response here.
GLAAD is still encouraging its constituents to contact KRXQ and respectfully voice your concerns about the defamatory and dehumanizing comments made by the radio hosts. Please read our Call to Action here.
Please check back with us for more developments on this story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
Related Coverage:
UPDATE: Snapple, Sonic & Chipotle Pull Advertising From KRXQ
June 4, 2009
In the wake of KRXQ radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States not apologizing for their offensive comments against transgender children, individuals continue to take action and share their concerns with the station.
You can listen to last week’s segment here and their follow-up to the controversy here.
On June 2, GLAAD issued a Call to Action and today renewed its call for supporters to let KRXQ know that Rob and Arnie should apologize for their remarks. We have also been blogging about this story (here and here).
Business leaders have also become alarmed by last week’s defamatory radio segment and are distancing themselves from the shock jocks and their dehumanizing remarks. Individuals are utilizing social networking tools like Facebook to voice their concerns and alert companies of the harmful diatribe.
At 1:33pm, I received an email from the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. The company is responsible for well, Dr. Pepper and Snapple along with 40+ brands including 7UP, Country Time, Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Mott’s, Orangina, Welch’s and Yoo-hoo.
Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc gave us the following statement to share with our supporters:
We found the segment to be offensive and as a result, we are pulling our Snapple advertising from the station.
Thanks again for bringing this to our attention.
As far as we know, the beverage company now becomes the second business to pull its advertising from KRXQ as a result of last week’s defamatory and dehumanizing comments against transgender children made by radio hosts Rob and Arnie.
The popular restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill was the first to announce pulling their advertising contract from the station.
Please continue to check back for updates on this developing story.
—————
UPDATE:
At 4:00pm EST, GLAAD spoke with SONIC Corp, the largest chain of drive-in restaurants in the country. SONIC confirmed they pulled all of their advertising from KRXQ as a result of the offensive comments made on the “Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning” show during their May 28 radio segment.
SONIC provided GLAAD with the following statement at 4:45pm EST:
Sonic wants to assure you that the views of this station are in no way related to the views of Sonic. Sonic was alerted to the May 28th segment only yesterday and immediately began researching the segment, show and Sonic’s planned advertising on the station. SONIC in no way condones violence toward children and does not wish to be associated with media content that condones or promotes such activity in any way. We have decided to immediately withdraw advertising from this station and have notified the station of our decision.
SONIC now joins Snapple and Chipotle in their removal of advertising on KRXQ.
Please check back with us for more developments on this story.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send us a tweet on our Twitter account @glaad.
KRXQ Radio Hosts Rob and Arnie Sweep Anti-Trans Namecalling Under the Rug
June 4, 2009
On Tuesday, we issued a Call to Action demanding that KRXQ radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States apologize for encouraging violence against transgender children. We also posted a blog update about the initial results from alerting our consitutents and media about the defamatory radio segment.
Reporters and outlets decided to cover the developing story including The Sacramento Bee, Instinct (here and here), The Huffington Post and FOX 40.
In a FOX 40 phone interview, KRXQ station manager Jim Fox responded to our Call to Action.He said:
Did they do anything wrong? If you’re a regular listener, the answer is no.
Hundreds of emails from our supporters poured into KRXQ from the United States and around the world demanding for Williams and States to issue an apology for their offensive comments. As a result, General Manager John Geary alerted us the hosts would issue a response on Wednesday morning in the 7:00am PST hour.
On the evening of Tuesday, June 2, GLAAD spoke with radio host Dawn Rossi. Director of National News Cindi Creager and Senior Media Strategist Andy Marra shared key information about the transgender community in preparation for their scheduled response. GLAAD also connected the radio host with Pam’s House Blend contributor Autumn Sandeen and Trans Youth Family Allies Executive Director Kim Pearson.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Additionally, GLAAD’s President Neil Giuliano was also directly contacted by a Chipotle Mexican Grill executive in the same evening to inform us the popular restaurant chain pulled their advertising support from the station. Having heard concerns from customers about the issue, they decided to take immediate action that cost KRXQ a year-long contract.
GLAAD staff monitored Wednesday’s response that lasted for almost 3 hours. The Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning show has posted the show in its entirety and can be listened to on their website.
In Wednesday’s response, Rob Williams said at 12:16:
This show has a strong, unwavering, unblemished, untarnished dedication and commitment to battling for children and against children being harmed in any way. For years, we did a feature called ‘The Silence Epidemic’ when nobody talked about children being left alone in hot cars. To bake to death and their parents not being in any way held accountable. We discussed child abuse at levels that no other show would talk about.
The Hosts
He also goes on to state:
Everyone that listens to this show, everyone that’s even aware of this show, knows that we have an underlying tone: You don’t hurt kids! That’s understood. But when you’re having a serious conversation, sometimes you need to what we call ‘release the pressure valve.’ That’s what Arnie’s role on the show is. To make a point and release some of the pressure and let people laugh.
He closed his point of clarification by saying:
I’m sorry that you might find it funny — or I’m sorry that you might not find it funny that some people laugh when Arnie — who does not have a child — talks about throwing a shoe at his non-existent son. You know what? Some people do laugh and they know we’re not serious, that Arnie’s not serious and we don’t advocate for it.
While it was heartening for us to hear that Rob Williams and Arnie States did not advocate for violence against children, they also did not hold themselves accountable for their dehumanizing and defamatory words used to describe transgender children in last week’s show.
You can listen to all of last week’s show here.
GLSEN Harsh Realities
In Wednesday’s show, Williams and States missed the mark when it came to how name calling and bullying can negatively impact transgender youth. In a groundbreaking report titled, Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools by our friends at the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), nearly 9 out of 10 transgender students experienced verbal harassment at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation and gender expression. More than half were found to have experienced physical harassment.
Approximately 65% of transgender students reported feeling unsafe in their school because of their gender expression.
Most disturbing is that close to 40% of transgender students heard school staff make negative comments about someone’s gender expression (39%) sometimes, often or frequently in the past year.
It is the very reason why GLAAD commends radio host Dawn Rossi for clearly defending transgender people and the damaging impact that namecalling can especially have on transgender people. Even when in the minority, Rossi was an ally and spoke about the devastating impact namecalling can have on transgender children and how verbal harassment can contribute to a hostile climate and potentially lead to physical harm.
However, GLAAD remains disappointed in the fact that Rob Williams and Arnie States did not apologize for their egregious remarks from last week that dehumanized transgender children.
In a follow-up story by The Sacramento Bee, GLAAD issued the following statement:
While we appreciate hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States clarifying that
they do not advocate violence against children, they ultimately failed
to take responsibility for using dehumanizing and defamatory words to
describe transgender children on last week’s show.
We applaud host Dawn Rossi for articulating respect for transgender
people and acknowledging that defamatory words like those used last week
by her co-hosts help contribute to a hostile climate that continues to
place transgender youth at risk for bullying, harassment and violence.
We will continue asking our constituents to voice their concerns in a
respectful manner about last week’s remarks and urging Williams and
States to use their radio platform responsibly on future broadcasts.
GLAAD urges readers to continue contacting KRXQ. Let them know that dehumanizing and defamatory remarks against transgender children are offensive and not acceptable.
Please refer to our original Call to Action for further information.
You can contact the following KRXQ radio hosts and general manager at the following info:
John Geary
Vice President & General Manager
KRXQ-FM
(916) 339-4209
jgeary@entercom.com
Arnie States
On Air Personality
KRXQ-FM
(916) 334-7777
rad@robarnieanddawn.com
Rob Williams
On Air Personality
KRXQ-FM
(916) 334-7777
rwilliams@entercom.com
Please remember, when contacting KRXQ, ensure that your emails and phone calls are civil and respectful and do not engage in any kind of name-calling or abusive behavior.
Keep checking back for further updates on this developing story.
Monica Canfield Lenfest – “What Does Transgender Day of Remembrance Mean to You?”
December 1, 2008
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was observed Thursday, Nov 20. To commemorate the day, GLAAD blogged about issues relevant to the Day of Remembrance throughout that week.
We asked transgender people and allies to respond to the question “What does the Transgender Day of Remembrance mean to you?” The responses are still coming in and we are posting them as they do. This response is from Monica Canfield-Lenfest.
Monica Canfield-Lenfest is the author of the Kids of Trans Resource Guide, the groundbreaking work written by and for people with transgender parents. The guide was the result of an eight-month fellowship at COLAGE - a national movement of children, youth and adults with LGBTQ parents. She has presented workshops about children of transgender parents at various transgender conferences including Southern Comfort, IFGE, Philly Trans-Health, and WPATH.
Monica coordinates the COLAGE Bay Area Chapter, organizing local events for youth and adults with LGBTQ parents. She is also working on the creation of the No Dumb Questions online community, a place for transgender people and their allies to share stories and ask questions about gender identity and expression. Monica blogs at A Seat on the SOFFA, where she continues to write about transgender families as the adult daughter of a transgender parent and an advocate for the children of LGBTQ parents.
During the Transgender Day of Remembrance service, we are reminded – these people are children, siblings, parents, friends, and lovers. As we read the names, I think of the mother mourning her transgender child’s death, the brother who will never understand how someone could take his sibling’s life. There is a small child whose parent committed suicide, an adult whose parent died because the doctors refused treatment. I don’t know their names, but anti-transgender violence has taken their family members.
In this moment, I find sadness. In this moment, I find rage.
Then, my thoughts turn to the transgender people in my life. I picture my father and her partner, the peaceful life they have pieced together in the small town surrounded by mountains. Grateful that they have a place to live, that she has a job. They are less vulnerable than many of those on the TDoR list, but still the fear creeps in. I could be that family member, holding a picture at the vigil. This year, I am not. I say a little prayer that my loved ones – family and friends – live free from violence.
In this moment, I find sadness. In this moment, I find rage.
While marching through San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, I meet a woman whose name could have been on the memorial list. She tells me her story of surviving stab wounds and being left at Ocean Beach, of the children who found her there, of her recovery just two years ago. And she is marching next to me, holding a candle just like mine.
In this moment, I find perseverance. In this moment, I find hope.
May this compassionate rage fuel our collective efforts to recreate a world where people live free from violence and discrimination.
