Students gathered around the Bell Tower on November 20th to mourn the loss of transgender individuals who were murdered. Two organizations, Students for Transgender Awareness and Rights, a.k.a. STAR, and the Queer Nerd Association, hosted the event. There have been at least 27 transgender women in the U.S., the majority of whom were black, and over 300 transgender people worldwide who have been murdered just this year.
“The numbers are not going down, there’s no end in sight as far as we can see of this brutality towards people who have done absolutely nothing wrong,” freshman Julian Kelly said.
This event aimed to ensure that their lives are not forgotten.
Jackson Burke, representative from the Queer Nerd Association said, “We need to remember each one of these people because each one of these people (had), they were a person, they had a life, they had dreams.”
The event, which occurred on November 2oth at 7 p.m., was not only for remembrance and reflection, but it was also a call for change.
“I want people to know that we will never be silenced. No matter how many of us die, we will keep fighting until there are no more deaths,” Students for Transgender Awareness and Rights President Buck Baker said.
When first-semester freshman Rebecca Zalkin was asked if she felt accepted on campus, she said: “So, that’s a double-edged sword. I think this is the right phrase. There are many people who make me feel like this is home, but at the same time there are many people who make me feel uncomfortable.”
Here on Temple’s campus the path to inclusivity continues, but the STAR organization wants others to know they are welcome.
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