The community led vigil planned in line with other protests and vigils across the UK was due in Dorset Gardens today at 1pm has been ‘indefinitely postponed’ by the organisers following further discussions with the wider Trans and Non-Binary community. The organisers published this statement:
“~~~~notice~~~~~ this vigil has been indefinitely postponed
We’ve taken time over the last few hours to read everyone’s comments and messages, and see how we have, at a critical moment, let the Black trans community down and be sidelined. We have taken on board the very important and valid concerns raised by people last night. We can only apologise for our own failure to achieve, what we agree, are the fundamental needs for any event made by and for the trans community expressed throughout everyone’s messages. There is no excuse that adequately justifies this short coming. We feel like this event has significance for the situation regarding the GRA. This vigil’s aim was to provide a space open to all to express our grief at the loss of so many trans Siblings, and anger at how this government intends to continue the suppression of trans voices. We recognise that Black trans people are most frequently talked over, marginalised and are at most risk from the current system. To not have a Black trans organiser, therefore, was a fundamental error. We also recognise our failure to have any Black trans speakers at the event. As organisers we will take this as a learning opportunity, while also accepting this is not good enough. We have listened, and will be ensuring that in future, we have the funds to pay people for speaking at any vigil or event.
We had organised an open space for people to speak, had anyone wanted to at the end of our organised speakers. We know that this is not a valid replacement for having organised, paid Black trans speakers. From the beginning we have been open and transparent in our organising, have responded to people who reached out to us, and tried to make this vigil an event where everybody was heard, and seen. As two white organisers, we know now that we had created something which falls woefully short of our collective social justice, trans liberationist aims. We wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to educate us last night, especially to the Black trans people who have had these conversations countless times. We are sorry this had to be another one.
We will be indefinitely postponing the event because of all these reasons, and apologise on behalf of all the organisers for this enormous oversight and lack of consideration. We are open to suggestions on how to make this a better event. Please comment below if you have the energy; I know many of you have already given us a wealth of suggestions in previous posts & discussions.
We will be donating our unused water, hand sanitiser and food we had bought for the event to the NFA mutual aid site on Lewes Road. As originally planned, all our left over money from the organising pot will be going to the UKQTIBIPOC hardship fund. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
With solidarity”
For a full updates and to read the organisers full statement please see their facebook page here: