Stigma and discrimination against trans and gender-diverse people results in horrifying violations of human rights, including violence, extortion, physical and sexual assault, and murder. Data collected by trans human rights defenders in the region reveal a concerning pattern of hate crimes perpetrated against trans people across the Asia and the Pacific region. These crimes largely remain unreported, and are often committed by state and non-state actors with legal impunity.
Every year, on the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), we gather to mourn and commemorate those who have lost their lives to transphobia. On #TDoR2020, APTN, in collaboration with other regional and local trans-led organisations, has set out to discuss the importance of systematic data collections and reporting on occurrences of hate crimes against trans people, and how this data can be used to advance discourses on the urgently needed legal, policy and programmatic protections for trans people across the region and the world.
And here’s what our country partners have to say:
Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand:
India, Pakistan, Nepal:
Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga:
PSGDN [Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network] Data on anti-trans violence is important in the Pacific as it demonstrates the stark reality (violence) that transgender people face almost on a daily basis both offline and online. These are our lived realities and experiences AND states, governments, our communities and families NEED to know and DO SOMETHING to STOP it! Every step that we take out of our house to go out into the world is a brave and courageous act.
RPF [Rainbow Pride Foundation, Fiji] The Rainbow Pride Foundation uses data on anti-trans violence to appeal to the hearts and minds of our policy makers, faith-based leaders, traditional leaders, our communities and our family and friends. We want to transform their attitudes and behaviour towards transgender people to ensure that trans folks can live a happy, safe, healthy and prosperous life in a society which affirms and celebrates their difference.
[Haus of Khameleon] Trans Bodies are not the Political Battleground of the State nor by any Religious Fundamentalist or Anti Trans elements. TDoR is a Day of Justice, a moment in life for State Accountability towards a community that has been marginalised for years! I will not allow a system to continue mistreating my fellow community – Ms Hannah Mara ( General Secretary – Haus of Khameleon Fiji )
[Haus of Khameleon] I will not allow a cis-tem and the Hierarchies of Oppression to dictate how Transgender Movements should operate. This TDoR may we as a Trans Community across Asia and the Pacific, Honor our community resilience, our survival – these have been years of pain and our fight will not stop! We live and fight on! – Ms June White ( Co-Founder – Haus of Khameleon Fiji )
[Haus of Khameleon] Our quest and journey to Justice will not be erased! We will reform. We will organise. We will Win. Let today be the last damn day you will ever doubt a Trans and Gender Diverse person. Our Trans Feminist Revolution lives on. For the fucken last time – Trans Lives Matter every day, all day. We will not bow down to the cis-tem nor to the eye of the colonizer or the opressor. Let today be the day, the night where we honor the lives of all Trans & Gender Diverse Bodies – Ms Miki Charalamagne Wali ( Director – Haus of Khameleon) #Justice