They Deserved Better
Wrote this for Transgender Day of Remembrance back in 2020. Given all that's going in the world I think it's just as important if not more so to carry this message and take time to remember those lost to senseless murders. I reiterate what I said when I first wrote this, cherish the living. Originally written and posted November 20th 2020.
They Deserved Better
By: A.X. Bueno
They deserved so much better
The trans people who've passed along the way
The trans people who have come and gone even so close as just yesterday
Today we remember them and the strength that they had
There's so many out there who shouldn't have to feel so bad
The friends and family that mourn when it shouldn't have to be this way
They deserved to be happy, they deserved to feel loved
They didn't deserve the bullying and abuse from those who feel they were above
There's just too many people who won't let anyone trans just be
Which leads to too many to feel like there's nothing worthwhile in them that they can see
All they want is acceptance but they usually receive society's scorn
All while some only love them when they provide good porn
But they deserve better, they deserve so much more
They were all loveworthy human beings who should get more than somber remembrance only after they reach death's door
They deserved truly accepting, loving families
They deserved warm, caring friends
It's just not fair their lives came to such abrupt ends
Of course there's so much that could do someone especially a trans person in
Their lives seem to be shorter thanks to the unfair conditions they're given
It's unfair that to be who they are they're put through so much
But despite it all they don't simply settle for misery and such
Many continue to live and thrive
Though sadly there are those who just couldn't survive
Whether it was by their own forced hands or thanks to petty hatred too disturbingly well known
Today we mourn their tragic losses and feel regret for their too early gravestones
We failed them and for them we should have done more
They deserved to be here now but we all know that's not possible anymore
So I guess the next best thing is to celebrate the trans people who are still here
If you're trans know that you're valid, you're loved and you don't deserve to live in fear
We should be doing so much better by you and, maybe someday we will
Progress has been slow and difficult but we're certainly climbing that uphill
Hopefully someday we'll reach a point where acceptance and love can be achieved and it'll all be chil