LGBTQIA Archives - Healthy Minds Philly®

Transgender Day of Remembrance

In memory of loved ones lost to acts of anti-transgender violence. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. Additionally, during the week of November 13-19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address the issues trans people face. Along with honoring the memory of those lost to acts of anti-transgender violence, the transgender community is also honoring long time community organizer for TDOR, Dawn Munro who passed away last month. This year, we are bringing attention to transmen who have died by suicide, such as comedian Daphne Dorman. On a national level, 40% of transgender adults report having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals report having attempted suicide before the age of 25, and it is estimated that 1 in 3 trans or non-binary youth have made a suicide attempt (Trevor Project). Compared to the general youth population, attempts are higher among trans youth in the US (Youth Risk Behavior Survey) 19% of all teens have seriously considered suicide 15% have made a plan to attempt suicide 8% have attempted suicide 2.5% have been injured by a suicide attempt. This study found that transgender youth [...]

Janine Monico2019-11-20T01:01:45-05:00November 20th, 2019|LGBTQIA, Suicide Prevention|

Remembering Pulse

Saturday night had given way to Sunday morning and the club was packed. It was Latin night, and the music was loud and the bodies were feeling it: a sense of belonging, the joy in one another. Then it began. By daybreak the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando would be reported as the deadliest act of violence against LGBT people in the whole, bloody history of the United States. Forty-nine dead. Over fifty wounded. Most of them Latinx. Queer people do not have often have the luxury of safety. The things I imagine other people take for granted, like walking down the street or taking the subway, can feel scary if someone around can read the queerness of your body. For this reason, we create makeshift spaces for ourselves when we can, where we can. In my own life, I have found safety and community on so many dance floors. Sometimes people challenge me on that point. What kind of community can you find among strangers? What kind of safety do you find in the dark? I remind them that the founding mothers of the gay rights movement threw the first brick fifty years ago at Stonewall. Queer people and dancefloors have a cozy history. I woke up to news of Pulse the day I was set to [...]

Janine Monico2021-01-02T19:57:25-05:00June 24th, 2019|LGBTQIA|

Mi recorrido verdadero como mujer transgénero

Nacer hombre o mujer implica roles de género específicos y responsabilidades que se perciben como parte de dichos roles, tanto en la familia como en la sociedad. Ante los ojos de mi familia y de la sociedad, yo no era el hombre típico que todos esperaban. Crecer como mujer transgénero fue muy difícil. No era aceptada y sufría maltratos físicos, emocionales y sociales. Papúa Nueva Guinea es una sociedad dominada por los hombres y ser una mujer transgénero se percibe como algo anormal, que no está en consonancia con las creencias culturales y religiosas tradicionales. Las relaciones entre personas del mismo sexo son ilegales, son un delito que se condena hasta con 14 años de prisión. Las leyes del país y la falta de recursos de transición para personas transgénero me impiden mostrar la persona que realmente soy interiormente. A los 16 años traté de suicidarme. Me llevaron de emergencia al hospital y los médicos me salvaron. Fue entonces que comprendí que ponerle fin a mi vida no resolvería nada. La única manera de escapar de la injusticia social y el dolor al que me habían sometido era educarme y fortalecerme personalmente. Empecé a estudiar mucho y a buscar oportunidades de empleo. Aunque aún busco estrategias basadas en la fortaleza para mantener mi capacidad de sobreponerme a las adversidades, el odio, el estigma y la discriminación todavía son algo común en [...]

Janine Monico2021-01-02T20:09:12-05:00January 31st, 2018|LGBTQIA|

My Real Journey as a Transgender Woman

Being born male or female comes with specific gender roles and perceived responsibilities with those roles in both a family and in society. In the eyes of my family and society, I was not the typical male that that everyone expected me to be. Growing up as a transgender woman was very difficult. I was not accepted and was subjected to physical, emotional, and social abuse.

Janine Monico2017-01-03T15:02:00-05:00January 3rd, 2017|LGBTQIA|