A Baltimore Trans Woman Speaks

TransGriot Note: Our guest poster Lady Dane Edidi is a Baltimore native and a girl like us who resides in Washington DC.   She's a performance artist, writer and author of the novel Yemaya's Daughter that is currently available at Casa Ruby, here at her website and hopefully soon at a bookstore near you. 

 
When you love a trans woman you have to understand that every day she makes it home safe is a miracle. We not only have to fight against historical erasure but we have to fight in our neighborhoods often for survival. I live close to where some of my trans sisters have died in Baltimore . This is not a joke for me, it is not a game; it is not a matter of simply "complaining" too much, it is not a matter of not having enough faith; what it is is a matter of life and death.

Every day we are fighting against life and death. Some of us don't have any privilege.  We do not have the convenience of letting our voices be heard on Huffington Post, or the Advocate or Logo.  Some of us simply don't wanna die even when many of us have been told death is the only option.  Many of us are told this by our education system, our artistic communities, our familial systems, our neighbors and those who choose not to care or include trans women's voices in any decision made regarding trans women.

When I say to anyone check your privilege at the door just like you would your shoes; this is not a silencing of your voice, this is a call to empathetic, sympathetic and compassionate living. This is a call to hear and not simply react. This is a call to get out of your feelings and get into what really will facilitate healing which the start is to know your privilege does not make you evil, but your privilege can make you blind.

Every day a trans woman makes it home safe and lives another day is a miracle.  Think before you speak because this is not a joke, a comedy show, a Lifetime movie, a game.   This is real life with real people, with real struggles, with real lives, dreams, aspirations and desires.

Every day a trans woman makes it home safe and lives to breathe, laugh, cry, speak, and teach another day is a miracle.