'The battle has come to me now' in Texas via Oxnard

[Shana A]

'The battle has come to me now' in Texas via Oxnard

By Stephanie Martinez
Sunday, August 24, 2008

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/aug/24/the-battle-has-come-to-me-now-in-texas-via/

Not in my town ...

They seem such easy words to say, and they were very much my thoughts until this year. "My town" was the very place I was born and spent the formative years of my life, the very place I first struggled with my sexuality and gender identity, the very place part of me still thinks of as home, although I have not lived there for more than 20 years.

It seems almost impossible these days to read or listen to the news and not hear about someone murdered, beaten or discriminated against. All too often, we ignore these stories. We tend to think that somehow the person asked for it in some way, or that in this "small" town, these things happen. We may not think these things consciously. I certainly did not, and while each time I heard of such things I was saddened, somehow, it always felt a world apart from me.

[evainefaye]

Sorry to necro such an old thread, but I was suprised when I couldn't find my local copy of this article, and had to do a google search hoping that I could find this on the Ventura County Star site, to find this posted a few other places .

I'm the original author of this piece, I do my best to try to remember these words every year as we head towards yet another season of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, and of course this year I'm just as outraged at the recent verdict in this case.

It is my sincerest hope that any who read these words written years ago now, really take them to heart, until we stand up and fight, and say no more, we will continue to be victims.

Warmest Regards,

Stephanie

[Shana A]

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks for visiting us here at Susan's, and for writing this article.

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