equality: October 2007 Archives
When Tyra Hunter was 24 years old, she was riding in a car in Washington, D.C. Her car was broadsided by another car.
She was knocked unconscious due to the collision, but regained consciousness by the time emergency crews arrived. She was still dazed and had respiration problems because some of her teeth had been knocked into her airway.The paramedics went to work on Tyra, but in assessing the injuries they discovered she had male genitals.
At this point, one of the caregivers said "This ain't no bitch. It's a nigger. He's got a dick and balls." The paramedics ceased treating Tyra and instead laughed and joked about her while onlookers demanded they get back to work on her.
Later, after treating another injured passenger, other emergency workers found Tyra gagging and trying to move away from the insulting paramedics. Finally, a supervisor demanded that her airway be cleared.
In addition to these insults and lack of care, she was received at the hospital as "John Doe", given a contraindicated medication, and was not given blood that had been ordered for her. She died from lack of oxygen in her blood.
This is the kind of health care some transgender persons can expect. Value judgments can override common decency and mercy - and the basic job requirements. Amazingly, the District of Columbia defended the paramedics on the basis of their first amendment rights to free speech.
Time and again, I come back to what Jesus taught about how we treat others: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". "Love your neighbor as yourself" . The parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the person who acted as a neighbor to a victimized person was the one who didn't even get along with people of his kind. The parable of the sheep and the goats, where Jesus says that as you do to others, you do to him.
And yet, this is what we can expect from some of the people who choose a career in caring for others.
This is not how to do health care.
This is not how to do emergency care.
This is not how to be a Christian.
This is not how to be a human being.
Whatever one's opinion of transgender people, they are people. There is no excuse for allowing people to suffer while we laugh.
My prayer is that the paramedics learn to care for all others, and that they do not need to experience what Tyra did in order to learn it. I would not wish that on my enemies - because I love them.
Trial notes: http://www.gpac.org/im/tyra/tyindex.html
Remembering our dead: http://www.gender.org/remember/.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is November 20.
At this point, one of the caregivers said "This ain't no bitch. It's a nigger. He's got a dick and balls." The paramedics ceased treating Tyra and instead laughed and joked about her while onlookers demanded they get back to work on her.
Later, after treating another injured passenger, other emergency workers found Tyra gagging and trying to move away from the insulting paramedics. Finally, a supervisor demanded that her airway be cleared.
In addition to these insults and lack of care, she was received at the hospital as "John Doe", given a contraindicated medication, and was not given blood that had been ordered for her. She died from lack of oxygen in her blood.
This is the kind of health care some transgender persons can expect. Value judgments can override common decency and mercy - and the basic job requirements. Amazingly, the District of Columbia defended the paramedics on the basis of their first amendment rights to free speech.
Time and again, I come back to what Jesus taught about how we treat others: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". "Love your neighbor as yourself" . The parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the person who acted as a neighbor to a victimized person was the one who didn't even get along with people of his kind. The parable of the sheep and the goats, where Jesus says that as you do to others, you do to him.
And yet, this is what we can expect from some of the people who choose a career in caring for others.
This is not how to do health care.
This is not how to do emergency care.
This is not how to be a Christian.
This is not how to be a human being.
Whatever one's opinion of transgender people, they are people. There is no excuse for allowing people to suffer while we laugh.
My prayer is that the paramedics learn to care for all others, and that they do not need to experience what Tyra did in order to learn it. I would not wish that on my enemies - because I love them.
Trial notes: http://www.gpac.org/im/tyra/tyindex.html
Remembering our dead: http://www.gender.org/remember/.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is November 20.
No commentary today - just the real work concerns of a real human being.
http://rebeccaaugephd.blogspot.com/2007/10/returning-to-work-concerns.html
http://rebeccaaugephd.blogspot.com/2007/10/returning-to-work-concerns.html
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28Think about this.
We are all one.
There are no distinctions.
Imagine if we, as Christians, stopped making distinctions between people.
Imagine we stopped distinguishing between people based on color of skin or national origin or citizenship.
Imagine we stopped distinguishing between classes.
Imagine we stopped distinguishing between genders.
Imagine we valued each member of the body of Christ equally - both in and out of church activities.
Imagine we supported each member fully, and didn't distinguish based on where one came from, what kind of work one did, or what gender role(s) one fit.
Imagine we took this idea further and applied it to all of humanity.
Just imagine.
