Transgender lives were honored and celebrated Sunday during the Lancaster Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) Trans Day of Visibility celebration at Penn Square.
“Trans people being visible sends the message that they’re not going to be able to erase them… Days like this are really great, because we’re building solidarity,” said Abi Haynie, Co-Chair of the Lancaster DSA.
Trans Day of Visibility is an international day dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Lancaster DSA used the rally as an opportunity to uplift the local transgender community, raise awareness of the ongoing challenges they face, and advocate for their rights.
The rally featured speakers from the local transgender community, music, resources, art activities and opportunities for attendees to connect with local LGBTQ+ organizations.
Speakers included: Tay C., Co-Chair of Lancaster DSA, Alexis Galovich, member of the American Party of Labor, Theodore Benjamin Brown, Lancaster resident, Lindsey Key, president of Lancaster Pride, Anastasius Jinks, treasurer of Lancaster Pride.
Tay addressed the challenges the transgender community faces such as increased suicide rates among young LGBTQ+ youth, housing instability and discrimination.
Tay encouraged attendees to support Lancaster DSA in passing the trans sanctuary city resolution that has been enacted in cities such as Seattle, Boston, Portland and San Francisco.
Galovich stated that capitalism is the root of many problems in society such as poor healthcare, rising food prices and exploitation. Anti-transgender rhetoric is used as a tactic to divide people and prevent unity against the bourgeoise, that is why class organization and solidarity is needed to overcome those problems.
Brown expressed the importance of creating a safe space for transgender identities to be visibly and exist freely. They detailed the mission of Sylvia Rivera, an advocate who fought for the LGBTQ+ community, despite facing many hardships and motivated the audience to follow in her footsteps in continuing the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
“We have this day for visibility because being visible still isn’t safe, so we push through our fear, and we show up. I hope our future generations have visibility as a norm, not as an act of bravery”
“No matter what policy, no matter what executive order, no matter what the hate is, it’s not going to change who you are. They may want to take away your ability to put your correct gender marker on your documents, but that doesn’t change you. That just shows their ignorance to our wonderful and colorful world,” said Key. Key focused on the growth and vibrancy of the trans community during the COVID-19 pandemic and how that growth needs to continue despite societal pressure.
Jinks discussed the paradox of visibility transgender people have been facing this year. “Over the past months, it may have felt like transgender people have been more visible than ever…. We’re talked about incessantly, and at the same time, our identity is put on lists of forbidden words.” Jinks articulated how those against transgender people do not know them and encouraged attendees to live in their truth no matter what society says.
