On 20 November 2024, around 80 to 100 people answered our invitation to commemorate the victims of transphobia and stand united for a future worth living, especially for young trans and gender non-conforming people.
Due to the weather, the event was moved indoors to the WIR AG. After the opening, there were speeches from the T4T collective and from us, as well as several poems written for the occasion. Afterwards, the names of the trans, non-binary and genderqueer people murdered and driven to their deaths in the past 12 months were written down to commemorate their extinguished lives. #SayTheirNames.
Afterwards, the demo choir inspired us to sing a song together, followed by a few more poems, thoughts and stories from the people who had gathered here.
At the end of the programme, many people took the opportunity to end the day of remembrance together over tea and a warm dinner, and to break the isolation so often imposed on us by a discriminatory society.
We would like to thank the Demo Choir for singing together and Black Wok for the meal afterwards. We thank everyone who contributed to this important evening with their words, their silence and their emotions.
Our words on TDoR 2024 for documentation:
What brings us together today? The invitation mentioned a number. A dry, statistical value, a sum in a painstakingly kept table.
But behind the number 426 lie destinies, behind the names on the list are people, lives, future plans, struggles and social relationships. All of these have been erased, and all that remains is remembrance.
426 is a mere data point, sober, seemingly emotionless. But encoded in this data point is the pain of loss, the pain behind all what could have been, that wanted to be, indeed should have been – and yet is no more.
The feelings of grief, of anger and despair, of resignation and resistance are hard to put into words and even harder to bear. Being here together, as trans people and allies, we can only try to stand united in solidarity and mutual support.
On the occasion of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, we want to extend our sympathy to all friends and relatives, whether in families of origin or choice. Our thoughts are with them. We wish them strength and we want to assure: you are not alone in your grief!
But we don’t just want to talk about grief today. Because we want all our trans siblings to be able to pursue their path of life. We want to remove the pitfalls for young trans people. So that they don’t have to look at the hurdles, but instead see the bright outlooks. We want to, we can, we must resist wherever this path is narrowed, turned into a gauntlet run or becomes completely blocked. The TDoR is also Trans Day of Resistance. And we are confident that we are not alone in our will to resist.
Last winter, as Queer Pride together with the Quarteera group we protested against the escalation of anti-trans repression in Russia. This summer, all across Saxony, we stood together, queer and anti-fascist, shoulder to shoulder, against right-wing mobilisations.
This autumn, following Trump’s election, we are looking with renewed concern at the USA. Where religious fervour is fuelling the fight against gender diversity and bodily autonomy.
As Queer Pride, we are committed to a society in which all people can be different without fear!
As long as trans people in Russia are denied their right to exist, we say: Open borders for all persecuted people! If the LGBTIQ* movement is demonised and disenfranchised in the USA under Trump, we will not look the other way. If agitated young Nazis want to attack Prides and CSDs, then we will fight back once more!
And in the long term, we aim for a lot more. We don’t want to just react and avert the worst, we want to advocate for a better life for everyone. Not just in Dresden, not just in Germany, not just in Europe, but all over the world.
We stand together in memory of the victims of anti-trans hostility.
We stand together in the struggle for equality, for recognition and safety.
In the struggle for our lives and our freedom, no one is forgotten!
All of you who have been made visible today with your names,
and all of you which didn’t even got reported – Rest in Power!