Transgender rememberance vigil held on Campus

**On Tuesday 20 November at 7pm, students saw the piazza lit up in honour of transgender remembrance day.**

The annual candle light vigil, organized by Warwick Pride, was attended by a healthy number, including both Students’ Union president Nick Swain and welfare officer Ben Sundell, and lasted approximately 45 minutes.

The vigil was held specifically to remember those who had been reported as murdered for transphobic reasons from November 14 2011 to November 14 2012.

The event started with two poetry readings: which intended to serve as a poignant reminder that it is the dead we do these events for, not ourselves.

These were followed by a touching speech by trans rep Sam Parr, who amongst other things, said he hoped to see the numbers of death per annum decrease in his lifetime, and that this was a goal we should collectively work towards.

It was also pointed out that the 259 names on the list of those reported murdered for transphobic reasons were simply the tip of the iceberg – many murders go unreported, or are given false reasons, or many barely survive and are left to live with the trauma. With this thought in mind, those 259 names on the current list for the past year were read out, and a minute’s silence was held.

Mr Parr commented that the transgender remembrance vigil “is always a tough event to do”. Despite this, however, he commented the evening had been a success: indeed, many if not all, left feeling moved, with food for thought.