The brutal murder of transgender teen Gwen Araujo is a sobering reminder of the hatred and loathing that exists for transgender people in our society. Seventeen, Araujo was beaten not only with fists, but a heavy can of food and frying pan, before being strangled to death with rope and dumped just outside of San Francisco where Araujo was from.

This year, her assailants were convicted on second-degree murder charges. Despite this victory for transgender people everywhere, Araujo’s death – a textbook hate crime case – was not considered a hate crime. How many more lives must be lost to hate, before transphobia is recognized and transgender people are protected? Discriminated even amongst gays and lesbians, it’s time for the GLBT community to use its muscle and political clout to advocate for our most underrepresented population – the transgender community.

Araujo’s story, along with hundreds of others, is the topic of this week’s feature, “Targets of transgression: Memorializing the victims of anti-transgender violence,” coinciding with San Diego’s fourth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to publicly mourn and honor the lives of transgender people who might otherwise be forgotten, and raise public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people – an action that the current media doesn’t perform. Through the vigil, we express love and respect in the face of national indifference and hatred. The Day of Remembrance gives transgender people and their allies a chance to step forward and stand in vigil, memorializing those who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.

The T in GLBT – an acronym representing the different communities making up the larger community of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people – comes last, and such order is reflected in reality. As the rights of gays and lesbians slowly push forward in many states, the transgender community has been left behind. Seen by some as a potential hindrance to the overall progress of the gay rights movement – the fight for GLBT equality has predominantly been a struggle for greater acceptance of gays and lesbians. This negligence contributes to continued violence against the transgender community – with a majority of states failing to protect against gender-identity discrimination.

California, however, has been a leader in protecting the transgender community. During the commotion caused by Gov. Schwarzenegger’s veto of the same-sex marriage bill, Schwarzenegger signed AB 1586, the Insurance Gender Non-Discrimination Act. Upstaged by the community’s disappointment over the failed marriage equality bill – this landmark legislation snuck through the Legislature and will be effective Jan. 1, 2006.

Introduced by Assemblymember Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, the bill follows the path of 2003 legislation that clarified existing prohibition on discrimination based on sex in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to protect transgender people. AB 1586 clarifies that transgender people also are protected under the existing discrimination prohibition in the Insurance and Health Safety Codes.

According to a statement released by Koretz, “By declaring that the definition of sex is the same as that found in FEHA and other provisions of the California Code, AB 1586 will ensure that insurance companies and health care service plans understand their legal obligation to refrain from discriminating against transgender people in the creation and maintenance of contracts and the provisions of services and benefits. Specifically, AB 1586 adds the following definition, which is the same as used in FEHA, the Education Code and the Penal Code:

“‘Gender’ means sex, and includes a person’s gender identity and gender-related appearance and behavior whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth.”

AB 1586 may ensure transgender people receive the proper health coverage needed to transition, and help foster a relationship between health care providers and the transgender community.

Countless horrific murders and senseless crimes have been committed against gays and lesbians. This is the same fight. We must ask ourselves, are we gay activists or activists for social change? Isn’t our fight against hate and discrimination no matter where it manifests?

Get out of your BMW, put down that glass of merlot, take a night off from the theater and get involved in creating change. The fourth annual Transgender Day of Remembrance takes place Sunday, Nov. 20, starting at 5:00 p.m. at The Center. Also, an event to increase visibility and dispel myths of the transgender community will take place Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at San Diego State University. For more information regarding the transgender community, the Transgender Day of Remembrance and a list of resources, including these two events, please see this week’s feature pages 43-46.