Transgender Day of Remembrance: Trans Lives Do Matter

"Trans lives do matter," Veronika Fimbres told SFGN. The registered nurse is a leading transgender advocate - she was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors at San Francisco Pride.

Fimbres explains the relevance of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, the annual holiday set aside to remember transgender people who've been lost to violence.

"The first Day of Remembrance took place in 1999, and was initiated by Gwendolyn Smith of the Bay Area Reporter," Fimbres said. "It was started to bring attention to those Transgender members of society who have been murdered for just existing, for being themselves, for being who they were. This is scary to realize that you could be next, just for being trans. They are not just murdered, they are butchered, dismembered, decapitated, tortured."

Here are some of the transgender lives that have been recently lost to violence.

Brandy Martell

Gunned down on a street in Oakland California in April 2012. She was killed after telling a man who was hitting on her that she was transgender. A few minutes earlier, Martell's killer told her how "fine" she was. Brandy Martell was 37 years old.

Aniya Parker

Called a "robbery gone wrong" by the LAPD, 47 year old Parker was killed by three men who tried to steal her purse in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Parker died on October 14, 2014. The police are offering a $50,000 reward for information which leads to the killers.

Aniya Parker was the second transgender woman of color to be murdered in Los Angeles since June.

Mayang Prasetyo

The 27 years old was found dead in her apartment in Brisbane, Australia, which underscores the need to address anti-trans violence on an international scale. Prasetyo worked as a chef on cruise ships and had been married to fellow chef Marcus Volke for less than a year.

Volke, who fatally slit his own throat shortly after the murder, is considered to be the killer.

Jennifer Laude Sueselbeck

U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton was charged with murdering 26 year old Sueselbeck in the Philippines. Advocates in the Philippines demanded that Pemberton be turned over to the police in that country, but he is currently being held by U.S. military authorities.

Tajshon Ashley Sherman

The 25 year old was found shot to death at a housing complex in Indianapolis. The police so far have no leads as to who the killer or killers may be, nor is the motive known. According to news reports, Sherman lived as a woman, yet family and friends referred to her in the media via male pronouns.

These are but a small fraction on the transgender people who've been lost to violence.

"All trans lives matter," said Clair Farley, Associate Director of Economic Development at San Francisco's LGBT Center. "No one should be subjected to violence because of their gender identity or expression. Despite the increased visibility in the media, trans and gender non-conforming people continue to experience extremely high rates of violence. It is becoming an epidemic for trans women of color. We need to do more to stop trans murders in the U.S. and internationally."

International Transgender Day of Remembrance is commemorated on November 20.

In South Florida, Compass, the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Palm Beach County, is sponsoring a National Transgender Day of Remembrance program hosted by activist/author/performer Lady Dane Edidi. The lady is known as the "Jazz Priestess of Mother Africa." Suggested donation is $5 and the program begins at 6 p.m., Nov. 20 at 201 North Dixie Hwy. in Lake Worth.