PCS Proud statement on Trans Day of Remembrance
Every Transgender Day of Remembrance, we commemorate the trans lives that were lost this year through violence, either by murder or by their own hand.
This year so far 350 trans people have been murdered, for no other reason than they are trans. More than one a day.
In the UK, 2024 has been characterised as a year of attack on healthcare for trans children and legislation to beat them while they are down. As Neoliberal Capitalism collapses worldwide from its own contradictions, the far right has become increasingly emboldened and more groups are getting scapegoated for people’s lives worsening. We are one such target.
The publication and uncritical acceptance of the Cass Review, a low-quality review into NHS England’s treatment of trans youth, has been used by the Tories and Starmer’s Labour to bar under 25’s from trans healthcare. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has extended the Tories’ ban on puberty blockers for trans children, citing safety concerns over a decades-old medicine that we understand well, he has curiously not barred cis children from taking it for precocious puberty.
Policy pressuring teachers to deadname, misgender, and out trans students is no different to the Section 28 of yesteryear which left a generation of queer youth traumatised.With a review for over-25’s being commissioned, the situation seems bleak – especially so with Trump’s re-election and his campaign’s enmity towards trans people. The denial of Nazi crimes against trans people by high profile transphobes is also alarming - Magnus Hirschfeld's institute of sexology was specifically targeted by the Nazis for their groundbreaking research into gender and sexuality.
However, the resistance of brave groups like Trans Kids Deserve Better shows that all is not lost. The trade unions need to organise to protect our trans workers and trans children. It is crucial for us all to stop this hate and reverse the tide – our actions today will influence the future for trans people worldwide.