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MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL SET:
TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

Contact:
Lisa Scheps
It's Time, Illinois!
312-409-5489
ItsTimeIL@itstimeil.org

47 W. Division St, #391
Chicago, IL 60610
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Chicago, IL --- September 12, 2002 - On Wednesday, November 20, at 6:00 p.m., a candlelight vigil will be held at the Thompson Center Plaza (100 W. Randolph St). The event is part of a nationally coordinated Transgender Day of Remembrance to be held on that day in at least 21cities throughout the Unites States.

As of September 10, eleven transgendered individuals have been murdered in the United States this year. The list includes the killing of two women in Washington, DC, in August of this year. That crime, like many against transgendered individuals, remains unsolved.

"This event gives us an opportunity to remember those who have died simply because they were perceived as 'different'," said Lisa Scheps, event co-chair from It's Time, Illinois. "This is an opportunity for individuals, both in and out of the gender community to come together and say 'this is wrong- stop the killing.'"

"To bring things even closer to home, eight individuals have been killed in Illinois over the past few years for real or perceived gender variance," according to Tina Sievers, event co-chair. "We can not allow intolerance and hatred to create an open season on people just because of who they are."

The vigil is being coordinated by It's Time, Illinois, an advocacy group for gender variant and transgender people in Illinois. It is co-sponsored by Chicago Gender Society, Equality Illinois, Howard Brown Health Center, Chicago Department of Health, Diversity of Rockford, TransGenesis, and the Chi Chapter of Tri-Ess. Other organizations are adding their support almost daily.

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