In honor of Transgender Remembrance Day, the advocacy group Planting Peace has painted its Topeka, Kan., Equality House the colors of the transgender flag.
“We thought it was important to display the transgender flag this week because the attention it draws inevitably creates a platform for discussion,” said Amelia Markham, Director of Outreach for Planting Peace. “There is a great deficit of understanding within the scope of transgender issues and until murder and suicide rates are dramatically decreased for this group we plan to continue to pursue creative alternatives in advocacy.”
“We do a great disservice to humanity when we create the perimeters by which others can and can’t exist based on gender identity. I am a trans ally and I don’t believe a person has to have first hand experience with dysphoria in their male or femaleness to believe that all people are people,” she said.
The Equality House is located across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church compound, home to anti-gay extremists famous for their “Gods Hate Fags” protests.
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In response to the memorial to Transgender Remembrance Day, the Westboro Baptist Church posted this sign on the marquee towering above its compound:
Aaron Jackson, co-founder of Planting Peace, said the mission of Equality House “is to raise awareness, stand up to bigotry, and promote equality.”
“The house will remain painted for one week and aims to create a platform for people to demonstrate their love, support, and solidarity with the transgender community through photos taken and shared across social media. It is my belief, that if you are an ally for the trans community, it is imperative for you to be open and vocal about that,” said Jackson.
