August 10, 2017 -- Reacting to President Donald Trump’s recent tweet declaring that he was barring transgender patriots from serving their country in the armed services, about two dozen residents of Sea Cliff and nearby communities assembled at Geohegan Park on 8th Avenue on Wednesday August 2 to promote their message that trans men and women are entitled to the same rights, protections, and opportunities as any other American.
“If any transgender person wishes to join the military,” said event organizer Michela McDonagh addressing the protesters, “we should support them every step of the way.”
“It is clear that the administration does not care about transgender or gender non-conforming people - and even more than that, the Trump administration has chosen to promote hate against the transgender family,” she continued, citing not only the president’s recent tweet regarding military service but also his rescinding of President Barack Obama’s executive order protecting the right of trans people to use public school bathrooms designated for the gender with which they identify.
She urged the audience to educate their children to be understanding and accepting as well as to model those values by speaking up when they see or hear acts and words of hate or intolerance. “Let’s raise our voices and change attitudes together,” she said.
Co-organizer Nicole Gemmeti spoke along similar lines.
“The current administration,” she said, “has belittled and dehumanized” the transgender community and its “rhetoric has given homophobia and transphobia larger platforms.”
“Being transgender is not a burden; being transgender in not a disruption.” she continued. “Being trans is normal, being trans is brave, being trans is beautiful.”
Grayson Gemmeti, Nicole's twin, who identifies as a non-binary trans person spoke of the difficulty of resisting intolerance.
“I am feeling very defeated, Gemmeti said. “No one talks about how hard it is when you are trans to stand up for yourself to other people and to be your own advocate.”
“Be a teacher, be a friend who can explain things,” Gemmeti urged the audience and encouraged people to be sensitive of the language and titles they use in addressing people.
The demonstrators, holding signs with anti-bias messages and images of 17 trans women of color murdered in bias attacks this year alone, then marched to Clifton Park via Roslyn and Sea Cliff Avenues, a tambourinist, drummer, and melodica player keeping time as they chanted in call and response fashion.
“When trans rights are under attack what do we do?” Ms. McDonagh shouted into the megaphone.
“Stand up, fight back,” the marchers answered.
At Clifton Park the rally concluded with a candle light vigil and a moving rendition of Amazing Grace by Olly McDonagh in tribute to the 17 trans women of color who have been killed in 2017.
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