Apparently it doesn't matter much where one lives on this planet. Humanity sucks. And wherever you go, there you are.
Lest you think it is only countries which are more backward, we'll start out in the US, before visiting Canada, Australia and Nepal.
Houston:
Mica Green works as a home care-giver. She has a 78-year-old patient with dementia who she cares for and is the legal guardian for. Someone tried to cash a check in the patient's name, so Mica and her patient rushed to the Wells Fargo Bank in southeast Houston when the bank notified them.
In the bank manager's office Mica encountered two Houston police officers who were less than civil or useful.
In spite my sexual orientation, I'm human like everybody else. My name is Michael. If that's what you want to call me, fine, but in spite of who I am, I'm human.
--Mica Green
The police officers pushed her into the office door…and then out of the bank.
I was explaining to him that my patient is dementia, 78-years-old and I was her power of attorney and he still told me to get out and I refused to leave my patient alone and he then grabbed my arm and pushed me into the bank manager's door and shoved me out of the bank.
--Mica Green
Ms. Green suffered bruises and scratches from that, but things went downhill once they were outside. The officers began calling her names.
I had plenty of witness that they were calling me he-she this and he-she that and the sergeant said that he had plenty of other things to be doing in this hundred degree weather than out here.
--Mica Green
Ms. Green was arrested for "loud noise".
She has refused to remain silent. She pleaded guilty to "loud noise"and plans to continue it.
Don't silence yourself. That's the problem we're having now. It's happening to too many people that are silencing themselves.
--Paige Mahagony, transgender activist
Canada:
Transwoman Nikki Cox, 30-ish, was alone in her car, out for a drive on an early June morning. She pulled into a parking lot at St. James Civic Centre in Winnepeg to smoke a cigarette.
Shortly after she did that, a police helicopter began to hover directly overhead. Squad cars appeared and surrounded her vehicle. Officers with guns drawn forced her out of her car and on to the ground as a knee was placed in her back. She was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car. Then she heard some officers laughing while they said stuff like, "He's a tranny."
Her car was searched for a non-existent "other passenger".
After a short time she was released, offered a token apology and told she was "in the wrong place at the wrong time".
Ms. Cox is suing, claiming she suffered physical injuries, anxiety and humiliation as a result of the incident…and that her Charter rights were violated.
Australia:
Donna Macklin is a transwoman who has been confined to a wheel chair since becoming a partial paraplegic in a car crash several years ago, which caused fractures to her right side and back injuries. She can only walk a few steps.
On January 15 in the afternoon she went to a neighboring house in Lavington. An argument ensued. Christie Keighran, 22, joined in the argument. But she wasn't content with words.
Ms. Keighran called Ms. Macklin a "morphrodite" and fetched a spade from the yard. Ms. Macklin tried to leave, but Ms. Keighran began hitting her motorized wheel chair with the spade.
She was trying to hit me, but luckily she was hitting the wheelchair.
--Donna Macklan
Eventually she was knocked out of the wheel chair and hit several times in the head and face. Ms. Macklin managed to get back in her chair and go to her home, where she collapsed in bed.
Police arrived a short time later. Ms. Macklin claims there were about 70 blows all told.
Ms. Keighran pleaded guilty on September 1 to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, malicious damage, offensive behavior and resisting arrest. But she disputes the extent of the injuries and the damage done, such as the damage estimate of $3463.08 for the wheelchair frame, computer box, and tires.
Ms. Macklan was bed-ridden for 11 weeks after the attack, which she says was unprovoked. She has since found new housing with her dog Bella in a unit for low-income earners in North Albury.
It’s really accessible, I love my unit.
I used to scrape up all the walls of my old place with my chair so it is much better.
I’m happy here, it’s a lovely and bright place and when I get up in the morning I just want to clean.
--Donna Macklan
Nepal
Lalit Rawal is 13, from Bajura district in Northwest Nepal, and is transgender. He was humiliated by society, teachers, classmates and family members, so he ended up dropping out of seventh grade and felt compelled to leave his village. Since then he has been homeless.
Lalit knocked on the doors of several NGOs and other organizations looking for assistance, but has not found any.
I stood first in exams up to the fifth grade. But I could not continue study due to intense humiliation.
--Lalit Rawal
Teachers used to force him to leave class and his classmates laughed at him.
I was not allowed to attend classes in the sixth grade as classmates did not even let me to sit on the bench. No one was ready to sit on the bench where I sat.
Instead of stopping the mistreatment by his classmates, teachers scolded Lalit for refusing to leave class.
But discrimination has continued to chase him. His own mother often complained about his gender and the siblings felt embarrassed about him and complained that they were confused whether to call him brother or a sister.
Rawal said he was born as a girl, and his parents named him Lalita.
--My Republica.com
But as these things go with us, life presented obstacles. His tone and behaviors were alike boys.
Up to class three, I used to dress like girls, and there were no problems in the class. Mother used to make me up like a girl, and I was compelled to hide my inborn nature.
As time passed, he felt more and more uncomfortable wearing his girl clothes and began tearing his garments so he could wear something else. This caused beatings by is father.
Then, upon hearing of Nepal's third gender movement on the radio, he left his village for Kathmandu. But he did not find welcome there either. The Blue Diamond Society, established for the welfare of the third gender turned him away.
I only wish to continue my studies,
--Lalit Rawal
Lalit is currently camping with a friend in Kirtipur, outside Kathmandu.