Transgender Rights Now!
It’s been quite a while since I have written and so much has happened. In the past month I have really come into my own. I owe a lot of my self exploration and self understanding to my continued work with the transgender rights organization.
When I started interning with them this summer, I was photographing some important events. It was a great experience for me as a photographer and I had the chance to get my work out there. I had a photograph published in the Bay Windows newspaper and some other photographs published on the organization’s website. These were great experiences, but by the end of the summer I knew I wanted to get more involved with the organization.
I’m so proud of myself for putting myself out there. For the past month and a half or so I have been going in to the office once a week. I have a big event I’m planning that will take place in June, I have been helping with other event planning and fundraising, and last week I just got appointed to the steering committee. I am excited to really be part of this organization, and excited to fight for a cause I truly believe in. I have greatly missed the activist in me, and it feels good to find that spirit again.
Just last week there was a march and rally for jobs that the trans rights organization marched in. I went to the rally to take pictures for my photography class at school, as well as for the organization. Though the rally was not as large as I had hoped, it was really inspiring to see people of all different backgrounds coming together to fight for better working conditions, better wages, and job security. Many of the blue collar workers who were at the rally acknowledged and embraced the transgender presence.
Two days later I ventured out of town for the New England Trans United Pride March and Rally in Northampton. The weather that day was really nasty, but a good number of people still came out to support transgender rights. I got a ride to the pride event with the director of the organization I’m interning with. I’m glad I had the experience of getting a ride with him, for it helped me to loosen up and really be myself. The event it self was tough to be at in some ways. There was a good turn out for the nasty weather for the march itself, but after the march people dispersed pretty quickly. We stuck it out for most of the day. I spent my time getting postcards signed to show support for the bill (H1728/S1687), and goofing off with a buddy.
Attending these events was good for me, for they both pushed my comfort levels. The labor rally was interesting because there were a bunch of Emerson students who saw me march with the transgender rights organization. I thought I would be more hesitant to people seeing my affiliation with such an organization. In reality, I was proud to be standing there fighting for the labor rights transgender people deserve. At the pride march in Northampton, I felt much more overwhelmed. The whole event was about being transgender and being proud of your trans status. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely proud of my identity. I realize though that I am proud of my identity in a different way.
I want to be the person who creates change behind the scenes, not the person who marches with a banner.
-Goddess Lacey
Genderqueer Smut 