In a bittersweet twist of irony, less than 18 hours after a mass shooting in Colorado targeted gay people, a special Trans Day of Remembrance Service was held Sunday afternoon at St. David Anglican Lutheran Church in Orillia.
“Help us to act mercifully and show grace to all of your people as You have done for us,” Rev. Lori Pilatzke prayed at the special service.
This was the only service held in Orillia to commemorate this day — a day to remember and honour transgender people from around the world whose lives have been lost to anti-trans violence.
In the past 12 months, 375 trans and gender-diverse people were reported killed globally, attendees at the service learned. Of the reported killings worldwide, sex workers make up the majority of the victims.
“This is a beginning,” said Pilatzke of Sunday's service. “It is time for us to do this, and time for us to be proud of who we are and celebrate our diversity.”
St. David member Erica Duffy, who helped spearhead the event, agreed.
“I love this,” she said. “I am a huge ally, I think this is needed. I know there is a community in Orillia, not only trans but also LGBTQ, whose needs are not being met yet. I think that we want to, but they are not being met yet.”
The dozen attendees who braved a winter storm to be at the event watched a video about Duffy’s friend Taylor, a trans man living in New York, whom she referred to as her “friend/soulmate.”
Taylor described losing several friends to murder and suicide, simply due to being trans. He talked about how trans people feel alone and treated as outcasts from society.
He described a trans friend being shot outside a bar in New York. “So, it’s scary,” he said. “My heart goes out to them.”
Pilatzke talked about the mass shooting in Colorado Springs on Saturday (Nov. 19), which killed five and injured 25 at a nightclub known to be frequented by gay people.
“We can’t not remember them,” she said. “It’s important to remember all of these folks, but this is a day to remember our trans friends. This is why we just have the trans colours on display today.”
Candles of remembrance were lit by attendees, who were invited to ignite them in memory of a trans person in their lives, or to demonstrate allyship to the trans community. Several attendees were emotional during this time.
“This is a hard day,” Pilatzke acknowledged. “Too often in contentious topics, things that are said that are harmful. In the past, the church and church leaders played pickie choosie with Scripture.
"They would take things and twist them around. We need to know that God made everyone in God’s own image. We are who God imagined we are. The proof of that is the fact that no two sets of fingerprints are the same. So why,” she continued, her voice breaking, “are we so bent on making everyone be the same?”
Piltazke told the story of Earla, who came to the congregation during her transition, after 64 years of living in a man’s body. Earla lost her wife and adult kids when she decided she had to become who she really was. She moved to Orillia and found the congregation at St. David.
“She saw the LGBTQI2SA+ safe place sign here, and worked her way into all of our hearts in a very short time,” said Pilatzke.
Earla made her transition with the support of friends at St. David, but, sadly, due to complications from diabetes, passed away a short time later. Her memory lives on through those who knew her at the church in south Orillia.
“We are here to build a community of acceptance and love — unconditional love —and we will welcome the outcast and celebrate true inclusion, just as Jesus Christ did," said Pilatzke.
