Story #39: Monica Roberts on Fighting for Trans Rights

“Wouldn’t it be cool if one day we had open trans military service, wouldn’t it be cool if a parent had a trans child that came to them and they did not throw that kid out of their homes and instead of throwing them out they embraced them and enveloped them in love and raised them to be the best people they can be, wouldn’t it be cool if instead of people getting a slap on the wrist for unfortunately murdering our trans brothers and sisters that they got the jail time they deserved for it?” - Monica Roberts

On October 28th, 2016, Monica Roberts, founder of the blog TransGriot and a TGLBQ rights activist, made history as the first trans person to receive the Robert Coles "Call of Service" Award. In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her journey in activism, beginning with her transition in 1994, when few places offered legal protections for gender identity. Roberts highlighted the importance of visibility for Black trans individuals and the need to address systemic issues like racism and sexism within the trans community.

She celebrated milestones in trans rights, such as open military service and increased acceptance of trans youth by their families, the election of trans legislators globally, and increased visibility in media, while acknowledging ongoing violence against trans individuals, particularly women of color and transgender people in Central and Latin America. She concluded by honoring the lives lost to this violence ahead of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Discover more details about this profound day by reading more here.