This projection project is in a box, the reason it is in a box is because like many other people in the 2SLGBTQ+ community trans people often have to hide who they are our of fear of discrimination or in the case that this project outlines; death.
Trigger warning: death, suicide, hate crimes against the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
The project was completed around November 20th which is transgender day of remembrance. On November 20th every year we remember the lives of trans people who were lost in the past year. Still in 2023 there were over 300 individuals lost world wide and around 7 in Canada due to hate crimes or suicide.
The box that I have created has the words "trans rights" being projected onto articles from the anti sexual orientation and gender identity protests going on across Canada. These hateful protests send messages to trans and gender diverse individuals that they are not welcome to be who they are in spaces that are meant to be safe for them such as schools. This ultimately will have a negative affect on these already marginalized communities.
In the box there is also splattered red paint to show the lives lost due to anti trans violence. Bellow the photos I have also included some additional information about each of the individuals who were lost this year in Canada due to anti trans violence.
Thank you to our speakers for their kind and reflective words. Now, before we share a moment of silence for those we’ve lost, I’d like to reflect on why we have Trans Day of Remembrance. This year, 393 trans people died, and the majority were the result of violence. We unfortunately can’t dedicate the amount of time and mourning each individual deserves in our ceremony today, but I would like to name and focus on the 7 lives taken, that we know of, here in Canada. Out of those 7, 5 committed suicide, and 2 were murdered. I’m going to tell you their stories.
Dani Cooper, also known as Maiken, was a 27-year-old who studied social justice at UVic. They believed that armed police weren’t fit to help people in crisis, whether they were homeless, under mental distress, or part of any other marginalized community. On November 12, 2022, they were shot by police while experiencing a schizoaffective episode. Their gender identity was corrected on most news platforms, after being misreported.
Jayden Miller, along with their mother Carolann Robillard, were stabbed outside of an Edmonton school on May 5, 2023. They were only 11 years old. Their attacker first tried entering the school, and when denied, attacked Jayden and their mother. While the attack is thought to be random, the attacker had been through many past assault charges, meaning there were many opportunities to get him the help he needed, and none were acted on. Of the sources that provide Jayden’s true name at all, few use gender-neutral language for them, and all list their deadname first.
Aurora Claire Stark, 42 and living in Halifax, was an advocate for queer, trans, and disabled communities, and wanted to help forge a vision of a better world. At home, on January 16, 2023, she took her own life. I was able to find her old Instagram page, where she posted about hairstyling, makeup, and goth fashion. On one of the photos, she said she’s self conscious about her smile, but it was a beautiful one.
Hailey “Bee” Mackenzie Lawson was a 14-year-old who loved writing, reading, and ridiculousness. They liked collecting monster cans. On May 2, 2023, they took their own life. The night before, one of their friends did the same. The year before, another 3 of their friends did the same. Their mother took their story to Saskatchewan MLAs, moments before they introduced the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act. Not all news sources use their correct pronouns.
Emily Grace Rawbon was the graphic designer and production manager for the Columbia Valley Pioneer newspaper for 17 years. She loved design, arts, and music, particularly the piano. On May 4, 2023, Emily took her own life, at age 51. Her loved ones remember her incredible talent, her cat Gizmo, her dog Page, and her involvement with many communities, including ours.
Lucy Dawson Stier, from Red Deer and St. Albert, was a 19-year-old who also loved design, as well as building LEGO, gaming, 80s movies, and all genres of music. On September 6, 2023, she took her own life. Someone who misses her commented on her obituary, saying they’ll forever cherish a stuffy she gave them.
Bekett Noble was a 4th year psychology student at Redeemer University, a private Christian institution, until they took their own life on November 23, 2022. But before they did, they wrote an email to Redeemer community members, staff, and administration, where they called for a culture shift at Redeemer, with consequences for students who would treat others in homophobic and transphobic ways. Bekett was deeply involved in making their campus safer for those like us; they had meetings with staff to discuss discrimination, they took the lead in establishing the first gender-neutral bathroom on campus, and founded the Genesis club for 2SLGBTQ+ students. They wanted to see better representation, supports, and specifically better counselling for marginalized students. When Redeemer cut their only existing counselling service, Bekett said that was the beginning of their end. They state in their email, “It didn’t have to come to suicide, to losing a student, but it did. Don’t let it happen again.”
After they passed, Redeemer launched a mental health task force to look into the circumstances surrounding Bekett’s passing and the state of mental health among their students. Once released, the 16 page report made zero mention of 2SLGBTQ+ students, besides one cookie-cutter statement on how students’ mental health needs may be diverse. All official statements given by the university in regard to Bekett omit their pronouns and trans identity. This is not an isolated case at Redeemer; many other students and alumni agree that not only the campus culture, but the school policies as well, make for an environment that is unwelcoming at best and hostile at worst for 2SLGBTQ+ students.
What we do here--not only on Trans Day of Remembrance, but every day onwards—is not inconsequential. Having a queer presence, not only in schools but in every community possible, shows that we are everywhere, and there will always be a place for us. Even if that means we have to carve that space out of thin air, we will do it, because we know having that space, that visibility, is more likely to save a life than to not. And if we have no community, no collective of people like us, then who will remember those we’ve lost? Who will remember their true names and identities if the news won’t? And who will not only remember but truly understand the reasons why they’re gone, and why it needs to never happen again? This is why we have Trans Day of Remembrance.
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