Dear Destruction,When your mother called me to rub it in about your nation's women winning hockey gold in Sochi over mine, she also took the time after getting her shots in as your proud mother to update me about what was going on in yours and your brother's lives.
She mentioned that you called out a classmate for being transphobic, and when the teacher tried to use the threat of calling your mother to bully you into silence and make you feel bad for calling out your classmates transphobic toro poo poo, you simply gave him the phone number to your house and said, "Call her."
So proud of you Little Nephew!
As Malcolm X once said, "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
You have so far shown in your young evolving life that you deeply care about all human beings be they cis, trans, gay or physically challenged. You are a proud outspoken young Black teen (and fellow Taurus) in a town that is a challenge at times for you and your family to navigate. You are also passionate in your evolving core beliefs, act on them, abhor bullies and ignorance in all their forms.and are not 'scurred' to call individuals, people, and entire systems out.
Damn, you remind me of myself back in the day.
I know Renee is making sure you and Mayhem as young Afro-Canadians, are being rooted in your Black history from across the Diaspora, being taught how to critically think and will continue to do so..
While your passion about standing up against injustice when you see it and telling it like it T-I-S is is admirable, bear in mind there are a lot of people who don't want to hear that truth in their zeal to stay blissfully ignorant about the injustice around them.
There's also what poet Gwendolyn Brooks said and is one of your Aunt Moni's fave quotes. "Truth tellers are not always palatable. There's a preference for candy bars."
I'll substitute there's a preference for white chocolate candy bars to reflect the element of whiteness, white privilege and white supremacy that never likes hearing the truth about the way things are, but I'm digressing here.
The reason what you did is rating your honorary aunt in Baja Alberta taking the time out of her day to write you about it is multilayered. I and several other people on this side of the 49th Parallel have faced increasing attacks because we dare to like you, be and are unapologetically Black, we are truth tellers about what's going on, and we are leading our community. We are getting media attention while we do so, and it pisses off the people who want to see the same status quo of an invisible POC trans community continue.
The movement of C-279, the Trans Rights Bill now at second reading in the Canadian Senate is already galvanizing the Forces of Intolerance, Canadian Division who have no legitimate facts based excuse to oppose this human rights law to go to 'fear and smear' tactics.
So it not only does my heart good to see younglings like you who not only get it, but ain't 'scurred' to call the crap out. My Canadian trans cousins are going to need allies like you standing up and saying no to the transphobia in the cis circles we don't have access to as the opponents to C-279 ramp up their transphobic hatred and unleash their false stories and attacks in the attempt to kill this needed human rights advance in your home and native land.
And frankly, I'm proud of you. You are showing through your small example what being an ally means. It's standing with us even when people are misguidedly trying to make you uncomfortable for doing so.
Destruction, thanks for being willing to stand up not only for transpeople and calling out the wrong when you see it, but doing so for everyone who is oppressed.
The Struggle Continues,
Aunt Monica
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