Today is International Survivors of Suicide Day and National Adoption Day. Tomorrow marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Three separate observances, but each of which has meaning for many of us as members of the LGBT community.
No one deserves to die from hatred and prejudice, or because they saw no alternative to suicide. Every child deserves a permanent family. And yet bias, higher risk of suicide attempts, and barriers to adoption still confront transgender people and rest of the LGBT community. (Let’s be clear, of course—the higher risk of suicide attempts among LGBT people isn’t because of anything inherent to being LGBT, but because of societal prejudices and pressures that may exacerbate other mental health issues.)
Whether you are honoring those lost, those who have survived, families created, or some combination of the three, may it be a weekend of both remembrance and hope for the future.