ST. LOUIS – Dozens of St. Louis LGBT and allied community members observed the 2012 International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), Nov. 17 at an event at Epiphany United Church of Christ in South City.
The St. Louis Remembrance was organized by local trans advocates Blue and Cody Fairchild and sponsored by Gateway Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The LGBT Center of St. Louis and Epiphany United Church of Christ.
A Keynote Address on transgender equality was given by four term Missouri State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford. Other speakers included St. Louis trans advocates, Sayer Johnson and Lucas Rinati; Eli Chi, representing Growing American Youth; Colin Murphy, Board Secretary of The LGBT Center of St. Louis; Rev. Mary Albert, Epiphany United Church of Christ and organizers Blue and Cody Fairchild. The reading of names was conducted by Sister Dee Enforsah and Novice Slamma Lotta of The Gateway Sisters. Musical tributes were given by Kristen Goodman, Summer Osborne and Rinati's daughter, Elizabeth.
A potluck dinner was held immediately following the service.
TDOR, traditionally observed on Nov. 20, was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder in 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Since then, the event has grown to encompass memorials in hundreds of cities across the world.
