TRANS-Aggression
Over the past year, I was compelled to create a political collage in memory of the 38 transgender individuals who lost their lives to violence in 2022. Each person is symbolized by a butterfly, their names carefully included within the piece. As I wrote each name, I felt an overwhelming emotional connection to their stories—despite never having known them personally. The process became a space for reflection, not only on the word “TRANS” as it relates to identity and gender, but also on its broader meaning as a symbol of transformation and shared humanity. Today, I worry that this word is increasingly weaponized—used both as a tool of division and a target of harm. How do we begin to reclaim and disarm such language? How do we illuminate the fact that when we target one, we target all? And when we limit one, we limit us all.
I want to begin by acknowledging that I am not a transgender person, and I do not speak on behalf of transgender communities. I can only share from my own perspective—humbly, as Troy—an ally, and someone deeply committed to listening, learning, and holding space for the lives and experiences of others.
In recent times, transgender people have been unfairly targeted by fear and misinformation. We live in a world where individuality is both celebrated and feared. Too often, limits are placed on how far someone is "allowed" to go in expressing who they are. When a person’s identity doesn’t align with familiar norms, it can provoke discomfort—not because there is anything wrong with them, but because of our own unexamined fears. And too often, instead of sitting with that discomfort and learning from it, society chooses to restrict, marginalize, or even harm those who live outside its expectations.
We see this play out in harmful policies that deny access to gender-affirming care, limit the use of public spaces, and fail to protect people from violence. History has shown us this pattern time and again: when individuals or communities challenge the status quo, they are frequently met with resistance or oppression.
But transformation—in every sense—is fundamental to being human. Psychologist Carl Jung described transformation as a path to the authentic self, a journey toward living in alignment with who we truly are. This journey often demands courage: the courage to go against expectations, to trust one’s inner voice, and to live one’s truth. For many transgender people, that courage is profound—facing societal judgment, family rejection, and personal risk in pursuit of authenticity.
Their bravery is not only worthy of admiration—it’s deeply instructive. It challenges us to reflect on our own transformations, both big and small. None of us are fixed beings. We are all in a constant process of becoming. In that light, aren’t we all engaged in some form of transition? Could we begin to see ourselves as part of a shared journey of change and growth? In a broader sense, aren’t we all, in some way, “trans-something”? I certainly hope so.
And if that’s true, can we begin to see transgender people not as “others,” but as guides—visible reminders of the strength it takes to become oneself in the face of adversity? By honoring their journeys, we create space for our own. By supporting their transformation, we nurture collective transformation. Because when we try to limit or control transgender people, we are also limiting and controlling something vital in ourselves. Limiting one, limits us all.
Transformation is breath. It is life. It is expansion. Fear, by contrast, contracts us—and leaves us stagnant.
In that spirit, I honor the 38 transgender individuals—represented by butterflies—whose lives were taken in 2022. May their names and spirits continue to inspire compassion, courage, and expansion.
Caelee Love-Light, Mar Quis MG Jackson, Destiny Howard, Diamond Jackson McDonald, Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Tiffany Banks, Semaj Billingslea, Acey Morrison, Mya Allen, Dede Ricks, Maddie Hofmann, Aaron Lynch, Kandii Reed, Hayden Davis, Marisela Castro, Cherry Bush, Keshia Chanel Geter, Martasia Richmond, Kitty Monroe, Shawmayne Giselle Marie, Brazil Johnson, Sasha Mason, Chenelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway. Nedra Squence Morris, Ray Muscat. Fern Feather, Ariyanna Mitchell, Mila Love Parker, Kenyatta Kesha Webster, Kathryn Newhouse, Tatiana Labelle, Paloma Vazquez, Matthew Angelo Spampinato, Naomie Skinner, Cypress Ramos, Duval Princess. Amariey Lej.
