“Everyone deserves to be themselves and should be able to express themselves without fearing for their life."
By: Rimjot Gill
The world today is a result of centuries of history. Certain events have made it possible for the existence of many amazing things such as our computers, phones, and many other objects that we often take for granted. However, many events presented issues for mankind and society. One of the main issues that we have observed, and are still experiencing, is the ongoing struggle between people. More specifically, the fact that society refuses to accept people that are different from the general population. This includes racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and various other things. For many years these scary and cruel acts were considered to be normal, and are still seen this way in numerous parts of the world. Other parts of the world are beginning to shift away from this norm. However, the fact is that more change is needed in order to truly help people feel safe while being themselves.
Since the start of 2021, there have been 13 violent deaths of transgender or gender non-conforming people that were reported. Violent acts such as these are often left unreported, therefore this number is inaccurate. Furthermore, since 2013, one-third of violent acts against transgender and gender non-conforming people have been committed by an acquaintance, family member, friend, or someone else they know. Overall, LGBTQ people are more likely to face interpersonal violence. This risk has greatly increased due to the pandemic (Roberts, 2021). In Canada, many statistics indicate an increase in hate-motivated crimes. There was a 7% increase in hate crimes between 2018 and 2019. Between these two years, there was a 10% increase in crimes motivated by race and ethnicity and a 41% increase in crimes motivated by sexual orientation. In 2019, the main targets of hate crimes in Canada were those who are from Black and Jewish communities. These numbers have shifted since the beginning of the pandemic as more Asian communities are experiencing hate crimes (Moreau, 2021).
Numerous people have come forward with their stories of times when they were treated as though they were lesser than people. We learn about these incidents through the news and social media platforms. In this era of technology, we see this much more often than the past. This is mainly due to the social shift that is currently occurring and the fact that everyone is able to obtain this information almost instantly due to technology. Furthermore, we are now able to witness all of the change that is occurring, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. Many are able to witness and learn about how difficult it is for many to be themselves in a world filled with hatred and no desire for diversity.
Hatred from those who are afraid of people that are different from them has instilled fear in many, potentially including those who we are closest to. The truth is that we do not know if someone is truly being themselves. Many are still hiding who they are. I have related to this for many years. I am a queer teenager, my pronouns are she/they. I have known this since I was 12 years old, however, I was also scared. For a period of time, I also felt as if there was something wrong with the way that I felt because everyone else around me thought that it was wrong. The reason why I am sharing this is that firstly, I now know that there is nothing wrong with the way I feel and secondly, I want everyone who feels the same way I do to know that they are completely valid.
Society today is shaped so that those who are different are seen as wrong. However, this is not the case. Everyone deserves to be themselves and should be able to express themselves without fearing for their life. Although the world today is much better than it was in the past, it is still not safe enough for millions of people. More change must occur.
If anyone needs a safe space to talk, feel free to contact me on Instagram, @rimjotg, or contact a person that you trust. Furthermore, there are various online resources available. Check out:
The Trevor Project
The Safe Zone Project
Black Youth Hotline
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
Text CONNECT to 686868
Use other methods of communication, which can be found on their website: www.kidshelpphone.ca
Works Cited
Kozodoy, Peter. “Why 'Be Yourself' Is the Best Advice That Few Entrepreneurs Actually Understand.” Inc., Inc., 24 May 2017, www.inc.com/peter-kozodoy/why-be-yourself-is-the-best-advice-that-few-entrepreneurs-actually-understand.html.
Moreau, Gregory. “Police-Reported Hate Crime in Canada, 2019.” Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics Canada, 29 Mar. 2021, www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00002-eng.htm.
Roberts, Madeleine. “HRC Mourns Dominique Lucious, Black Transgender Woman Killed in Missouri.” Human Rights Campaign, 9 Apr. 2021, www.hrc.org/news/hrc-mourns-dominique-lucious-black-transgender-woman-killed-in-missouri.
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