Valerie (she/they)
TW: transphobic violence
This year we’re gathered on this day once more using the motto Trans Day of Remembrance… of Resistance… of Rage… and of Revenge. Four powerful words. On first look, they may seem clear and self-explanatory.
But as with many words, it’s worth digging a little deeper. Because when we look closely, we realize that we don’t all have the same understanding of what these words mean in certain contexts. Today, I want to share with you what these four words mean to me, personally, regarding this day.
Remembrance.
For me, and probably most of you, this is today’s essence. We are here to remember. To honor the lives of those we have lost, and to commemorate those who continue to live in the face of adversity. I want to remember. And I want to actively remind others too.
I want to remind people of the countless trans people who, once again, this year, have fallen victim to violence. The many who have been physically harmed. The many who have lost their lives.
But it’s not just about physical violence. I want to remember those who have suffered emotional and psychological violence, too. Because these scars, too, run deep. Often, we carry them in our hearts, in our souls.
And let us also remember those who may not yet have faced direct violence but still live under the weight of hate, rejection, or fear. The ones who cannot yet live as their true selves, who are forced to hide because of the dangers they face—whether in a country where persecution is still a threat, or in a community where coming out is not safe.
I will not forget them. I want to remind others not to forget them either. No one should be forgotten — not today, not any day. Today, we remember everyone: those we couldn’t protect, and those we still can.
Resistance.
A clear message. And yes, I stand here today ready to resist. To resist the violence against trans* and non-binary people. To resist the prejudice that continues to spread. To resist dangerous social currents that threaten to bring fascism and exclusion back into the mainstream.
I resist those who seek to strip away the hard-won rights of trans* and non-binary people.
I resist the radicalization and division in our societies, where marginalized minorities are increasingly targeted for political gain. I will not accept these things, and I will fight them in whatever way I can.
But resistance, for me, also can mean resilience.
I wish resilience for those of us who are struggling right now—struggling with society, with discrimination, with violence, with mental health challenges. I wish for all of you the strength to keep going, to face the challenges life throws at you, to stay strong, to never give up, and to reach your goal: to live freely, happily, and without fear of discrimination or violence.
Rage.
Yes, I am angry. Angry about many things. Angry about the injustices I’ve just mentioned, about the hate, the violence, the oppression. It makes me furious.
And this fury sometimes boils inside me, makes my blood run hot, makes me want to do something — anything —t o push back against the sense of helplessness and despair that rises whenever I hear of yet another injustice or another act of violence.
So I ask myself, what can I do? What should I do? I’ll admit, sometimes I feel compelled to fight fire with fire. To make the perpetrators feel the pain they’ve caused. To meet hate with hate, to meet violence with violence. But I will never give in to that impulse.
I firmly believe — now more than ever — that violence has never, in the history of humanity, led to anything good. Even when it comes from a place of righteous anger, it only leads to more suffering, more hate, and more violence. And in the end, it only benefits those who profit from hate and violence. That’s why I am a pacifist, and I say this with absolute conviction: I want to channel my anger into something that truly matters. I want to use it as fuel for meaningful action.
I want to use my rage as motivation to fight for justice in the right way: with activism, with peaceful resistance, with education, with visibility. I believe, deeply, that love, peace, and justice will always triumph over hate, violence, and injustice — even when it feels, at times like now, that it’s a battle we might never win.
Revenge.
And finally, we come to the word revenge.
Honestly, there’s not much more left to say. I’ve already touched on it when speaking about rage. When we’re angry, the impulse to take revenge is often there. To make the perpetrators feel the pain they’ve caused. And as understandable as that is, I’m convinced — wholeheartedly — that revenge, in the traditional sense, never brings real healing or justice. It only perpetuates the cycle of harm. So, what does meaningful revenge look like?
To me, meaningful revenge is living well. It’s the joy, the pride, the strength we show when we refuse to be silenced, when we refuse to let hate have the final say.
The people who want to see us suffer—they want us to feel small, to feel invisible. They want us to give up. But the best revenge, the most powerful revenge, is showing them that we will never give up. That we were always here, and we always will be. That we will continue to be visible, to speak up for our rights, and to stand strong.
And in the end, we will win. Hate and discrimination will lose their grip, and one day, there will be no place for them in our societies. I believe this with all my heart.
Êvar (?) Têkoşin
TW: War
Dear friends,
Today, we have gathered to remember and honor the victims of hatred and violence against trans* individuals worldwide, to pay tribute to their memory, and to show them respect. Unfortunately, trans* individuals around the world still face prejudice, discrimination, and violence. Even in Europe, particularly in Austria, trans* people continue to struggle with societal and institutional barriers, despite the notion of freedom. Trans* migrants and refugees, in particular, experience these obstacles even more intensely.
As trans* individuals from various countries and cultures, we face multiple challenges simultaneously because we are both trans* and migrants. Here, we live without the right to vote or to be elected. It is difficult for us to find safe spaces for ourselves. We battle poverty and are constantly forced to protect ourselves from sexual harassment and physical violence. Day by day, we encounter institutional transphobia and racism. Thus, we send our greetings to all friends who cannot be with us today and respectfully honor all trans* individuals who have fallen victim to hate.
As Tekoşin, we lovingly remember Hande Öncü and the radiant, joyful Jelena from our community today. We are committed to creating safe spaces where trans* individuals can express themselves freely and live securely. We are a strong community and invite you to follow our Instagram page and join our regular events. Many of us have left behind our families, our homes, and our friends to come to Austria and build a new life here. Now, we want to live our identity freely and shape a new life.
We call on Austrian society to end transphobia and support us. We demand positive measures for equality in all areas and the promotion of anti-racist policies. We do not want to be victims of a transphobic society but rather conscious heroes who shape their own lives. We will not lose; we will win. Jin, Jiyan, Azadi!
Above all, we need freedom and are determined to fight against homophobia and transphobia. We must feel the spirit of resistance within us, claim this day of remembrance for ourselves, and support one another. We fight for a life of dignity and respect. Our resistance is not a violent one against others but a resistance in which we simply are ourselves—without fear and without shame. A resistance in which we pursue our dreams, realize ourselves, and find our happiness without being demeaned. We wish you all a meaningful day of remembrance and believe that together, we can fight against all forms of oppression and discrimination. Stay as you are. You are beautiful! Long live the LGBTİQ+ community!
Today, there are many wars around the world, with cities being bombed. Among the victims of these bombings are countless LGBTİQ+ individuals. The wars of states and the patriarchal system are not our wars. Beyond our own oppression, we declare here from Vienna our solidarity with all oppressed communities and peoples. It is an honor for us to carry the name “Tekoşin,” which means “struggle” in Kurdish. With this name, we carry the spirit of resistance inherited from the brave Sara, Zilan, Sakine, and many Kurdish fighters into our current fight. We dedicate this resistance to the fighters in Rojava. Their fight is our fight, and we promise to continue taking to the streets for a free future. Long live LGBTİQ+, Jin, Jiyan, Azadi!
As the Tekoşin community, we are primarily made up of trans* individuals. Together, we will grow stronger and create a more beautiful world.
Rhonda (she/her) Venib
TW: trans hate & mention of murder of trans people
I’m furious. And yes, I still am. Two years ago I stood here venting my disappointment. About the fact that the public discourse about whether we are allowed to exist or not is led by the media in a way that is unprecedented.
Our existence and right to exist is increasingly debated. And even journalists who are considered left-liberal do not fulfill their job duty and describe articles as “very worth reading” which can easily be verified as trans hate spreading. Even queer organization are sharing the article as “little introduction” to an evening with the autor. And no-one seem to have read it or fact-checked the central claim of the article, whether it is factual or just some gut feeling. But only a brief look at the website that was referenced was needed to understand the central talking point as unfounded scaremongering. The word woman isn’t disappearing. It still isn’t. And it won’t. Trans women are women.
Karl Nehmammer strongly incited hatred against trans people in his Austria Plan – and the ÖVP is still doing so. With the implementation of the Federal Equal Treatment Act they fulfilled a ruling by the Constitutional Court from 2018, though chose to send out a press release the same day to wanting to take it back. They actively want to continue to make inter\* and non-binary folks invisible in language and thus continue to discriminate against us.
It should be crystal clear that those things do not happen in a vacuum. Such outbursts and talking-points are systematic and have an impact on society. In recent weeks and months I was increasingly attacked through “friendly” comments on public transport and on the streets for existing and my looks – without anyone else around me interfering. And thinking back to the Olympics, where the discourse suddenly became increasingly hostile towards inter\* and trans people it is no surprise that the number of murdered trans people this year is again frighteningly high. I am specifically also including those people who were driven into suicide because they are also victims of trans hostile violence.
We do live relatively safely here in Austria. That is one of the reaons why we can take the streets. Unfortunately that’s not the case everywhere. In Brazil more than a quarter of the trans murdering happened. But we don’t have to look so far – France and Italia are also part of the statistics and their respective governments offer a good breeding ground for the hate. With the rhetoric that the two big blue parties throw around here in Austria it is getting more difficult. It has now been nine years since Hande, a trans woman, was murdered here in Vienna.
All of this leaves me and keeps me furious. And I can relate to people who want to go back in hiding, can’t be out and thus have to deal with enormous internal burden because of the inhuman external ones. Which makes it all the more important for those who manage to be visible – and to stay visible. And for all those who aren’t directly affected by trans hate: Interfere when you notice it. Don’t leave your trans, inter\* and non-binary folks alone in this. Especially also when none of us are around. Stay in touch, and on days like these, make sure your friends are doing well.
Be careful with each other so we can be dangerous together!
Georgy (they/them) Cha(i)nge
TW: transphobia, trans erasure, violence
Today, we are gathered here to mourn our trans and nonbinary siblings. The ones we know of, and the ones who will never show up in a statistic but who are still no longer with us because of hate and ignorance, because of a lack of resources and role models, because of harmful environments and lack of support.
Every year, we gather on this day and we hope that one day, we will no longer need to mourn. Yet the numbers of our dead keep rising, every year.
It’s a difficult time to be trans and nonbinary. We have more visibility, we are gaining access and legal rights and representation, but we are also more vulnerable. Our rights and our very existence are labeled issues and reduced to talking points. We are being attacked by politicians, in the media, on the street. We need our community to be strong and stand together so we can protect each other, and yet instead of fighting together and for one another, we fight each other. We argue over language and representation and Palestine. We police each other, we fight, and then we stop talking, and we sue each other. And for what?
Who does this benefit?
It benefits the Nehammers and Kickls, the Melonis and Orbans all over the world. Those who want us dead. Who want us back in the closet. Who believe we’ve never existed, who believe we should not exist. Who think we’re nothing more than a contemporary issue, a fantasy. But they’re wrong. We’re people. We’ve always been here, and we know how to survive. We deserve to exist, and not only to exist, but to live, and to be happy. Together, as a community. We need to pour our energy into building this community, into fostering spaces and communication, into learning and growing together. Into listening and understanding each other, and thriving together. So we can say: “My sibling, I got you. Let’s walk this road together.” So we can remember our dead and fight for the living. So we can all have a life. A future. Happiness.
Thank you.
Sofia (she/her) Queerbase
TW: police violence
[Missing]
Nikki (she/her)
TW: none
Hi,
A year ago I stood on this stage.
A year ago, I stood on this stage and said that I was scared about the upcoming national election. That election is now behind us and it has shown: Unfortunately, this fear was justified.
Walter Rosenkranz, a nationalist fraternity member, has become President of the Austrian National Council — in 2024! On his second day in office, this nationalist fraternity member rolled out the red carpet for Hungarian ruler Viktor Orbán in our parliament. That was a slap in the face for all women, all BIPOC* people, all migrants, all people who care even the slightest bit about democracy and, last but not least, all queer* people and trans* people. And it was just a glimpse of what is to come. The coming years with such a strong FPÖ and a still strong ÖVP in the National Council will not be easy.
A harsh wind is blowing in our face and I’ll be honest: I’m disappointed. Disappointed in everyone who got us into this situation. Disappointed in more than half of the voters in Austria for whom the FPÖ and ÖVP were still an option. Disappointed in all those who did not use their right to vote because they have the privilege that politics does not influence whether they wake up tomorrow still having all their basic human rights. Disappointed in all those who take a neutral stance towards anti-trans sentiment. And especially disappointed in all queer* people who take a neutral stance against anti-trans sentiment. Right now we have to stand together as a united queer* community and defend our rights so that they are not taken away from us one by one. Because you all need to be aware of something: trans* people may be the first to feel the hate and agitation right now, but we won’t be the last to be attacked by the far right.
But no matter how bad everything looks right now, there will always be a glimmer of hope: We stand together, just as we stand together right here right now, and we will not let anyone take that away from us. We will fight to preserve our rights. Whether it is with demonstrations like this one today; with court cases like the Genderklage; with voting for our interests; or simply with personal conversations with friends and family to draw them away from hatred and prejudice. We can all do something to change society bit by bit. We will all do something and we are all doing something right now, standing here. And that gives me hope today for a better tomorrow.
Thank you.
Mo (they/them) Hosi
TW: murder, suicide
Hello, my name is Mo Blau. I lead the Transgender Department at HOSI Wien and identify as non-binary. One of my main tasks is to serve as a source of information both internally and externally, as well as a representation of the interests of both binary and non-binary trans people. The experiences we trans people make, whether on a small or large scale, are often not that different from one another. From microaggressions in daily life, to hate speech in public spaces, to physical violence, which all too often ends in the death of those affected.
Now, we are relatively well off here in Austria, I have to say. The number of murders due to transphobic violence is relatively low compared to other countries. However, we find ourselves at a crossroads. The globalization of the world can no longer be stopped, and while that can be great for societal progress, for meeting like-minded individuals, or for the realization that things in Austria aren’t so bad for us trans people, globalization and the apparent acceleration of the world also lead to a quicker spread of hateful misinformation. We saw this in the US election campaign: approximately 50 million dollars in campaign funds were spent solely on explicit anti-trans propaganda ads. This not only affects election results, but also sticks in people’s minds. Violence against trans people is thereby indirectly legitimized. By now, we probably all know which party in Austria calls the most special parliamentary sessions on the topic of gendering, where drag art, trans people, gay men, and gender-inclusive language are all lumped together. All of this is said to harm children. It’s no wonder, then, that people in Austria get upset about us trans people.
If I had children myself, and I know some of you here do, I would, of course, want to protect them from harm. Our community is accused of deliberately leading children and adolescents down the wrong path, of talking them into mental illnesses, even though this is simply not possible. I would also want to defend myself against these evil, yet unknown forces that want to harm my children, perhaps even infect them with the so-called “Woke Mind Virus.”
I tell you today: The only virus that is spreading virulently worldwide due to the degradation of our communication is that of hate.
Because what is missing from the official death statistics in Austria—which are already far too few—are the victims of transphobic violence who take their own lives.
During the AIDS crisis, there was often talk of “social AIDS” when people, out of fear of the virus, sought relief in suicide rather than wait for the seemingly inevitable death of their loved ones or themselves. Today, we see how medical care for trans people in Austria is being scaled back due to public pressure. This is happening against all medical evidence. Treatments are often completely denied to teenagers, and the waiting times for adults have become unbearable. This is due to fear of legal repercussions or because even medical professionals have fallen victim to misinformation.
I don’t even want to imagine the dark figures of those who decide that their life is no longer worth living because they are denied medical care indefinitely.
Nevertheless, today, among the victims of transphobic violence, we will hear many names from other countries, other than Austria. Transphobia is a global problem; it is an intersectional issue. It is especially important to highlight the negative example of Brazil, a patriarchal and macho-dominated paradise, where in all the recent years, the most trans women have been murdered.
Transphobic violence is a part of patriarchy, a part of racism, a part of classism. Therefore, I would like to use a modified version of the call from the Argentine feminist movement, in Galician and in a gender-neutral form, and ask you to scream with me for our community: NINGUNE MENOS – NINGUNE MENOS – NINGUNEMENOS!!! (Not one less!)
Pepper (none) Genderklage
TW: The speech covers the laws for the persecution of minorities during the nationalsocialist era as well as transphobic laws in the second republic.
[Missing]
Gönül (she/her) Queerbase
TW: domestic violence, sexual exploitation, pedophilia, attempted murder, physical violence
[Missing]
Vio:la (she/her, ex(ex), Lara (she/her) Trans Femme Fatale with Pride South Tyrol
TW: trans hate, murder, discrimination, police violence, domestic violence, fascism
My name is Lara, I am from Trans Femme Fatale, an association for transfeminine and non-binary people. I come from South Tyrol, Italy and I am working closely with Pride South Tyrol. Today I am here to talk about the reality that many people in Europe – especially in Italy – are facing. In times like these, international solidarity and connections are crucial in the fight for equality.
Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day of remembrance for the LGBTQIA* community to commemorate trans people who have been the targets of transicide, violence, prejudice and stereotyping. This year, 405 people were killed by transphobia. A look at the figures clearly shows that transphobia primarily affects trans women, especially BIPoC. Most of the victims are between 19 and 25 years old. Italy ranks first in Europe in terms of the number of murders of trans people. Trans people have had a difficult history in Italy for a long time – a history that dates back to the time of Italian fascism. Back then, trans people and anyone who deviated from the norm were systematically marginalised and criminalised. The government under Giorgia Meloni has now introduced a policy of invisibilisation and marginalisation of trans people. Instead of supporting and protecting queer people, it is pursuing a policy based on conservative values of the white, heteronormative family and denies them the right to start a family. At the last G7 summit, Italy also vehemently campaigned to remove all references to the protection of gender and sexual orientation from the final from the final declaration, which is a setback for queer people across Europe.
One particularly sad example concerns the rights of trans parents and queer couples. The government took measures to prevent the recognition of their children, as if love and care were less valuable in these family forms. The recent letter from 259 parents of trans youth in Italy, supported by organisations such as Arcigay and Agedo, is an outcry against this injustice. They speak out against the political instrumentalisation of their children and ask for help to end the persecution of those who are already in a difficult and vulnerable situation.
Attacks on the hospital in Careggi, a clinic near Florence that supports trans people in their transition, show the government’s direction. It is attacking trans supporting institutions that, giving a signal to trans people that their quest for self-determination is not welcome here.
This is a clear message – not only to trans people, but also to doctors, therapists and all those who stand up for their fellow human beings. And while legal support is lacking, violence is on the rise. We think of the people who have been injured or murdered simply because they wanted and needed to be themselves. In Acerra, a trans man was attacked and his fiancée murdered by her own brother because she wanted to save him. In Milan, a trans woman was brutally attacked by the police. Only by recognising and strengthening the rights of all trans people – whether in Italy, Austria or other countries – we can overcome the history of discrimination, violence and invisibility and prevent people from suffering the same fate again.
Panda (he/him) Trans and Nonbinary Youth Vienna
TW: none
[Missing]