Solidarity Statement
Queer Connection Lanark is deeply saddened by the recent death of a young person in Perth. In respect for the families, the investigation and the community at large, we refrain from speculating as to the circumstances and complexities surrounding this tragedy.
We remain committed to nurturing a community in which everyone feels safe and healing can lead the way.
Specifically, we stand against any politician or private citizen who leverages a personal tragedy to further anti-2SLGBTQI+ (or any other harmful & marginalizing) rhetoric.
To this end Queer Connection Lanark is guided by the preamble of the Ontario Rights Code, written with sensitivity, dignity of worth and hope:
…. having its aim the creation of a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person so that each person feels a part of the community and able to contribute fully to the development and well-being of the community and the Province.
Queer Connection Lanark is deeply saddened by the recent death of a young person in Perth. In respect for the families, the investigation and the community at large, we refrain from speculating as to the circumstances and complexities surrounding this tragedy.
We remain committed to nurturing a community in which everyone feels safe and healing can lead the way.
Specifically, we stand against any politician or private citizen who leverages a personal tragedy to further anti-2SLGBTQI+ (or any other harmful & marginalizing) rhetoric.
To this end Queer Connection Lanark is guided by the preamble of the Ontario Rights Code, written with sensitivity, dignity of worth and hope:
…. having its aim the creation of a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person so that each person feels a part of the community and able to contribute fully to the development and well-being of the community and the Province.
Transgender Day of Remembrance - November 2024
Over 70 people came out to show their support in Perth
Over 70 people came out to show their support in Perth
Words from Transgender Day of Remembrance
Good evening, everyone.
Thank you for gathering here tonight. Your presence here matters. It is a light in the darkness, a testament to the power of remembrance, love, and solidarity. Tonight, on this Trans Day of Remembrance, we reflect not only on the lives we’ve lost but also on the struggles and triumphs of the trans community and our shared commitment to a brighter, more loving future.
I want to begin by sharing a bit of my story. I grew up in Kingston, just a short drive from here, but for much of my life, I felt worlds away from myself. I didn’t have the words or the support to understand who I truly was. Like so many others, I carried my identity in silence, locked away, hidden even from myself at times.
I first came out at 21. I told my mom, I sought a referral from my doctor to start hormones, and I was ready to embrace my truth. But the resources just weren’t there. No one in the area could prescribe hormones, and I felt stuck. I gave up hope of transitioning and resigned myself to living as a man.
I told myself this was my fate, but deep down, I knew the truth: I wasn’t at peace. I struggled with anxiety and depression for years, to the point that the idea of growing old in that life felt unbearable. I felt trapped in my own body, confused, alienated, and disconnected.
Fast forward to my early 30s, and life had brought me to Perth. The pandemic had turned my world upside down, relationships dissolved, I lived in isolation, and everything I thought was certain fell apart. But sometimes, it’s in the breaking that we find clarity.
Sitting by the water one day, I surrendered to the feelings I had repressed for so long. The tears poured out of me as I finally let myself acknowledge who I was. In that moment, I felt something I can only describe as the love of God surrounding me, a pure, beautiful love that washed over me with acceptance and peace.
Last October, at the age of 32, I came out again, this time fully embracing my identity as a transwoman. I was able to find a doctor, start hormones, and take steps toward living authentically. Though I’ve only been on HRT for just under a year, I’ve never felt so aligned with myself. For the first time, I feel comfortable in my own skin.
That isn’t to say the struggle is gone. Dysphoria is still a daily challenge. It’s something I carry with me, but it’s lighter now. Before hormones, it was unbearable, and there were times I didn’t know if I could keep going.
I share this not to center myself tonight, but because I know many of you, whether you’re trans or not, carry your own struggles. I want you to know that you are not alone. The light we create together can hold all of us.
But tonight is not just about our struggles, it’s about remembering those who didn’t have the chance to find that light. It’s about honoring the trans lives lost to violence, hatred, and systemic neglect. Each of them had dreams, families, and futures stolen from them. And those losses are not random, they are the result of a society that continues to marginalize and dehumanize trans people.
America is not far away, it’s just on the other side of the border. Right now, in the United States, trans people are facing a surge of attacks. Hormone therapies and gender-affirming care are being banned in state after state, leaving countless people, especially trans youth, without access to the medical care they need. Families are uprooting their lives, fleeing to places they hope will be safer.
And here in Canada, we are not immune. The same forces of hate and fear are at work here. Conservative leaders like Pierre Poilievre have hinted at policies that could restrict trans rights, including access to healthcare. Whispers of parental consent laws and new barriers to hormones are growing louder. These are not distant threats, they are here.
The darkness is vast, but it is not infinite. The light is always growing. Every act of love, every moment of understanding, every stand for justice adds to that light.
Love is not just a feeling, it is an action. It’s showing up for one another, it’s standing against hate, it’s speaking out and making space for those who have been silenced. Love is what connects us, what strengthens us, and what will ultimately create the change we need.
To my fellow trans siblings, You are the light. Your existence is a testament to resilience and courage. Whether you are out or not, whether you feel strong or afraid, your presence matters. To those who are out, thank you for your bravery. To those who aren’t ready yet, know this, You are no less valuable, no less worthy, no less loved.
To our allies, thank you for standing with us. But this cannot be where your work ends. Let your love be active. Advocate for policies that protect trans lives. Challenge hate wherever you see it. Educate yourself and others, and amplify the voices of trans people.
As we reflect tonight, let us grieve, but let us also carry hope. Every name we remember tonight carries a call to action, a call to create a world where trans lives are not just remembered, but celebrated.
I believe in that world. I believe in our power to create it together. Because while the darkness may feel infinite, it isn’t. The light is always growing. And together, we are that light.
Thank you for being here, for remembering, and for standing with us. Together, we can create a future where love truly is the answer.
Good evening, everyone.
Thank you for gathering here tonight. Your presence here matters. It is a light in the darkness, a testament to the power of remembrance, love, and solidarity. Tonight, on this Trans Day of Remembrance, we reflect not only on the lives we’ve lost but also on the struggles and triumphs of the trans community and our shared commitment to a brighter, more loving future.
I want to begin by sharing a bit of my story. I grew up in Kingston, just a short drive from here, but for much of my life, I felt worlds away from myself. I didn’t have the words or the support to understand who I truly was. Like so many others, I carried my identity in silence, locked away, hidden even from myself at times.
I first came out at 21. I told my mom, I sought a referral from my doctor to start hormones, and I was ready to embrace my truth. But the resources just weren’t there. No one in the area could prescribe hormones, and I felt stuck. I gave up hope of transitioning and resigned myself to living as a man.
I told myself this was my fate, but deep down, I knew the truth: I wasn’t at peace. I struggled with anxiety and depression for years, to the point that the idea of growing old in that life felt unbearable. I felt trapped in my own body, confused, alienated, and disconnected.
Fast forward to my early 30s, and life had brought me to Perth. The pandemic had turned my world upside down, relationships dissolved, I lived in isolation, and everything I thought was certain fell apart. But sometimes, it’s in the breaking that we find clarity.
Sitting by the water one day, I surrendered to the feelings I had repressed for so long. The tears poured out of me as I finally let myself acknowledge who I was. In that moment, I felt something I can only describe as the love of God surrounding me, a pure, beautiful love that washed over me with acceptance and peace.
Last October, at the age of 32, I came out again, this time fully embracing my identity as a transwoman. I was able to find a doctor, start hormones, and take steps toward living authentically. Though I’ve only been on HRT for just under a year, I’ve never felt so aligned with myself. For the first time, I feel comfortable in my own skin.
That isn’t to say the struggle is gone. Dysphoria is still a daily challenge. It’s something I carry with me, but it’s lighter now. Before hormones, it was unbearable, and there were times I didn’t know if I could keep going.
I share this not to center myself tonight, but because I know many of you, whether you’re trans or not, carry your own struggles. I want you to know that you are not alone. The light we create together can hold all of us.
But tonight is not just about our struggles, it’s about remembering those who didn’t have the chance to find that light. It’s about honoring the trans lives lost to violence, hatred, and systemic neglect. Each of them had dreams, families, and futures stolen from them. And those losses are not random, they are the result of a society that continues to marginalize and dehumanize trans people.
America is not far away, it’s just on the other side of the border. Right now, in the United States, trans people are facing a surge of attacks. Hormone therapies and gender-affirming care are being banned in state after state, leaving countless people, especially trans youth, without access to the medical care they need. Families are uprooting their lives, fleeing to places they hope will be safer.
And here in Canada, we are not immune. The same forces of hate and fear are at work here. Conservative leaders like Pierre Poilievre have hinted at policies that could restrict trans rights, including access to healthcare. Whispers of parental consent laws and new barriers to hormones are growing louder. These are not distant threats, they are here.
The darkness is vast, but it is not infinite. The light is always growing. Every act of love, every moment of understanding, every stand for justice adds to that light.
Love is not just a feeling, it is an action. It’s showing up for one another, it’s standing against hate, it’s speaking out and making space for those who have been silenced. Love is what connects us, what strengthens us, and what will ultimately create the change we need.
To my fellow trans siblings, You are the light. Your existence is a testament to resilience and courage. Whether you are out or not, whether you feel strong or afraid, your presence matters. To those who are out, thank you for your bravery. To those who aren’t ready yet, know this, You are no less valuable, no less worthy, no less loved.
To our allies, thank you for standing with us. But this cannot be where your work ends. Let your love be active. Advocate for policies that protect trans lives. Challenge hate wherever you see it. Educate yourself and others, and amplify the voices of trans people.
As we reflect tonight, let us grieve, but let us also carry hope. Every name we remember tonight carries a call to action, a call to create a world where trans lives are not just remembered, but celebrated.
I believe in that world. I believe in our power to create it together. Because while the darkness may feel infinite, it isn’t. The light is always growing. And together, we are that light.
Thank you for being here, for remembering, and for standing with us. Together, we can create a future where love truly is the answer.
PICTURES FROM THE 2024 PARADE
"FREE TO BE ... YOU & ME"
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QUEER CONNECTION LANARK respectfully acknowledges that we are meeting on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin People. We acknowledge and honour the traditions and roles of Two Spirit People in Indigenous life and offer our gratitude to the First Peoples for their many teachings about the care of the Earth and respect for all living things.
