This article was published in the Columbus Dispatch at
It has become trendy to hate transgender people.
Tens of millions of dollars were spent by Republicans in this national election season, generating fear of gender diverse people to score political points.
In post-election analysis, Democrats blamed transgender people for election results—scapegoating the scapegoated.
In Ohio, the legislature has passed laws that medical experts have said will increase rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and violence against LGBT+ youth.
All of this rhetoric, and more, has an effect. All of this hatred results in more hatred. All of these words of violence become acts of violence.
Last week my friend Meka Shabaaz died after jumping off a bridge.
Rates of suicide are disproportionately high for transgender people. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, “Forty-one percent of the transgender persons in the United States attempt for suicide at least once in their life.” High rates of suicidality are not a symptom of being transgender. Rather, it is the difficulty of living in a threatening world that becomes too much weight to carry.
I have spent hours on the phone crying with people who loved her, danced with her, and worked for justice with her.
She could be strong-willed and sometimes drive us crazy. But as we say at the United Methodist Church for All People, “No matter who you are or what you have done, you are a beloved child of God.”
Meka’s belovedness was wiped out.
Our hatred killed her.
This hatred must stop.
Last night I made an Instagram video making the same point—that we have to say enough to the hatred and division that kills people. In response I received a litany of hateful messages saying enough of people like me, calling transgender people sick, and asking “so what” that Meka died.
Hatred kills.
Hatred results in the death of people like Meka.
Hatred tears up the person who is doing the hating.
Christmas marks the incarnation of God’s love into the world in Jesus the Christ.
I pray that this love will be born anew and that we can learn to recognize the belovedness of all people.
Hatred killed my friend. Enough. It is time to come out of this darkness. This holiday season let us learn the truth that when we love instead of hate, we don’t only save the other, we save ourselves.
TransPreacher 
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