877-565-8860
Theo O’Brien
hello, it’s me, and her, and him, and them, and
our country wants to kill us,
how
do we make it through this?
…
do we make it through this?
1,400,000.
1.4 million.
drag it out over the tongue,
roll it in the mouth,
just picture it
that’s how many of us
our country’s host- god help us all-
wants to erase, lock us all into binary cages and throw away the keys,
force us to act like “normal” people, if by “normal” you mean
white cisgender and heterosexual,
one wave of a magic wand and poof,
we’re gone,
isn’t that how it works?
I never wanted to have to speak
up to others about
who I am,
what I am,
why I am.
I never wanted to have to prove
my own existence,
that I am natural,
not a parasite leeching off this country,
not a robot-alien something,
not diseased, not crazy,
don’t need to be fixed, not broken.
877-565-8860, hello,
it’s me, and her, and him, and them, and
we want to know
who will spit out the statistics,
voice choked with the names of the dead:
Monica Loera, 43,
shot
Kendarie Johnson, 16,
shot
Kayden Clarke, 24,
shot
(after police responded to a call about suicidal behavior)
2016 is the deadliest year on record for transgender individuals.
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, 28,
stabbed
Kenne McFadden, 27,
drowned
Ava Le’Ray Barren, 17,
shot
2017 is the deadliest year on record for transgender individuals.
Viccky Gutierrez, 33,
stabbed
Zakaria Fry, 28,
bludgeoned
Vontashia Bell, 18,
shot
and the 74 others who have joined them these past three years
(mostly trans women of color)
(and this year’s not over yet)
2018 (will be) the deadliest year on record for transgender individuals.
877-565-8860 hello,
it’s me, and her, and him, and them, and
did you know that according to a study
40% of trans adults have considered suicide?
did you know that 92% of those attempts
were before the age of 25?
and speaking of 25,
that’s 25 times the national average, did you know?
“these findings were startling,”
says a researcher.
to whom?
to the parents who threw their child away
because he was born she?
to the students who single out the different?
to the teachers who do nothing to stop it?
to all of those who don’t understand why
“Kill yourself”
should not be a mantra anyone hears?
877-565-8860, hello, it’s me, and her, and him, and them, and
we know you’re busy but please,
how do we fix this?
how do we get a new host
how do we help
how do we summon the courage to fight
how do we walk down the street without shaking in our shoes
how do we live when our host has turned against us?
877-565-8860, hello, it’s us again,
how do we start a revolution?