We'll Keep Fighting For You, Aleesha

Not long after a Malaysian judge refused to approve her name change, 26 year old Aleesha Farhana, who had undergone SRS in Thailand in 2009, was admitted to a hospital 500 km northeast of Kuala Lumpur where she later died of a heart attack on August 1.

High Court judge Yazid Mustafa ignorantly denied your request on July 17 to simply have your name and national identity card reflect the woman you were on the inside and outside.  Because of his faith based transphobia Mustafa couldn't see what is breathtakingly obvious to the rest of us.

While sadly it didn't happen for you in your all too brief lifetime, your transsisters and transbrothers in Malaysia and elsewhere will not give up the fight to have trans human rights respected and protected not only in your homeland, but around the globe.

Our cause is just, and your fellow trans Malaysians are determined to not let your death be in vain.  They are also tired of having their human rights disrespected in their homeland.  Other Asian and Islamic countries such as Singapore, India, Nepal, Iran and Egypt recognize transpeople and it's past time for Malaysia to do so as well.

We'll keep fighting for you Aleesha and every transperson on Planet Earth until all our nations recognize that the human rights they covet for themselves, that are ensconced in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and embedded in the various constitutions of the nations we inhabit also apply to trans human beings as well. 

Rest in peace Aleesha knowing that the world mourns your loss, stands with you and your Malaysian trans family as well and the fight will continue.