A day of remembrance took place at Honolulu’s Capitol Modern, as trans people and their allies honored about 350 community members who passed away this year due to violence.
Community leaders shared experiences and encouragement. “The last year of my time in the military was hell, but I did it as Amadeus,” said Hawaii Harm and Health Reduction’s Center’s Amadeus Hill, describing his experience coming out as a trans man.
“It was a transformative experience,” he concluded, reflecting on his strength in the face of adversity.
HHHRCs Kuaana Project Manager Maddalynn “Maddie” Sesepasara shared her struggles after coming out, “No one wanted to hire me because when I walked through the door, you know.”
Before her current role as manager of a program that provides support for trans youth, she said that it “led me down a path that I didn’t wanna go to, which was prostitution, you know, dealings, drugs,” doing what was necessary to feed herself and two young boys.
Away from the safe space of Capitol Hall, some community members feel that those who identify as transgender defy their religious ideals.
“Our heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick who can know it. So you can’t trust your heart. We have to go on what God says,” said religious activist Kelly Cadinha, who attempts to spread her faith outside Planned Parenthood on Saturdays.
For those in the community, these sentiments and those of our president-elect represent an attack on personal identity, freedoms, and liberty.
“I cried…” Sesepasara said, detailing her reaction to the post-election results.
“I had to remember where we live and, you know, and our culture and our people are different from the continent,” she continued, referring to Ancient Hawaiian systems of knowledge that respected a diverse variety of gender identities.
Ultimately, Hill said the trans community “[will] never stop. I’ll never stop fighting for who I am. And I’m not I’m not going anywhere. I’m not fleeing the US. I’m right here, and I plan to be, because I deserve to be. We all deserve to be here and deserve to be loved.”
