Transgender persons in Nigeria are not really known because of the personality they carry, but only few are reckoned with. The transgender day of remembrance which occurs annually on the 20th of November, is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia.

Many has been murdered in their acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by transgender community, people like Rita Hester in Allston.

Miss saHHara, Nigerian model and singer has acclaimed in an article yesterday to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance that she has attempted suicide, harassed and jailed in Nigeria for being a transgender.

Miss SaHHara writes…

I am standing in front of the mirror looking at my reflection. Tears of joy trickle down my rouged cheek before going on stage.

I am in tears because I just can’t believe how realistic my dreams have become. I am a woman! Living my life freely. Accepted and respected for my achievements as a model and a performer.

My fellow transgendered sisters and brothers paved this way for me. They fought for acceptance, understanding and respect. Some died while fighting for what they believed in and others fell before their time due to hate, rejection and society’s unfairness. Every single story gave me strength to fight on and never to give up.

I wish I could tell the younger me who tried to commit suicide twice that life gets better and dreams come true.

I did not imagine life could be this amazing many years ago after being released from a horrid Nigerian prison for being different. Then all I could think was I could die in this prison and no one will know or care.

Being imprisoned felt justifiable, considering I was being punished for being ‘gáy’ – something they assumed due to my feminine features and mannerisms.

I wasn’t gáy, I am a woman born differently due to natural defects. What I felt did not match my outward appearance, Being assigned male at birth doesn’t make me a man or a woman, nobody was born a man or a women, you develop into your preferred gender as you grow up. For me that gender was female. I was born male but my brain, gestures, features and carriage functioned as female.

Growing up and not knowing what was happening to my body made me confused and lost. I couldn’t discuss it with my family because my femininity was frowned on due to religion and I could not talk to my friends because they would not understand what I was going through. I found solace in music and dreams.

I dreamt of being free to be myself, free of insults, free of judgment and free from harassments.

That freedom came when I moved to the United Kingdom, finding girls like me gave me hope of not being alone in my journey of self-discovery.

I found out what I went through growing up in Nigeria was quite common with transgendered people. Having freedom, acceptance and knowledge are the key most important elements to a successful transition.

Knowing I am not alone in my struggles helped me to reevaluate my views on life and how I should go about my transition wisely. I researched my transition and reconciled the conflicting emotions involved in the process of accepting myself as the woman I am.

It is a lonely world during transition, as your body changes so do your emotions, which leads the mind into the darkest path in life. If the chemicals are not professionally controlled, you can feel suicidal due to rejection from loved ones and society.

In life perfection doesn’t existent, but for me having the freedom to be my true self feels almost perfect. As a black transgendered woman I am faced with many daily challenges such as transphobia, a complicated love life, poor career prospects and racism. But when I remember my life history, these challenges become water under the bridge.

That is why I will always remember those who built this foundation for freedom and knowledge. Also those who never got the chance to enjoy the acceptance we have achieved so far.

Transgender Day of Remembrance today (20 November) is particularly import to me because I have lost close friends to suicide and have seen many more wishing to commit suicide as a final fix to their gender dilemma and rejection by society.

The media is silent on the subject of transphobia and the effects it has on young transgendered people of today, because they don’t see transgendered people as ‘normal’ members of our community.

Remembering my fallen friends helps me to keep their memories alive. It also encourages me to carry on the fight to be respected, understood and accepted for whom I am.

I dream of a world where we are given some sort of understanding and tolerance to live peacefully as able, intelligent fellow human beings who make positive contributions to society.

Transgendered people are human too. We are your brothers, your sisters, your children, your friends and your lovers. Stop the hate!

http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/24285/53/nigerian-model-and-singer-has-been-jailed-and-atte.html

So touching...jeez

I'm confused, so this one na man? ok o.

Wetin concern us!

Those narrow hips ....urgghhh !!

What women can do, men can do better, lord have mercy.

Why do I have this feeling that she is lying? I'm sure she just added the arresting part to make her story more inspirational and sensational!

Lies! Who cares in Naija?

BTW, these are what this guy does to appear this way:
1)He did sex reassignment surgery for male-to-female transgender;
2)He has reshaped the male genitals into a form with the appearance of and, as far as possible, the function of female Instruments.
3)He underwent hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and depending on the age at which HRT begins,
which includes:
- facial hair removal.
-Other surgeries undergone include facial feminization surgery,
-breast augmentation, and various other procedures.

Even with all these procedures:
Trans women do not have ovaries or uteruses.
This means that they are unable to bear children or menstruate,
and that they will need to remain on hormone therapy after their surgery to maintain female hormonal status .

What's the need !

Lilimax: Lies! Who cares in Naija?

BTW, these are what this guy does to appear this way:
1)He did sex reassignment surgery for male-to-female transgender;
2)He has reshaped the male genitals into a form with the appearance of and, as far as possible, the function of female Instruments.
3)He underwent hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and depending on the age at which HRT begins,
which includes:
- facial hair removal.
-Other surgeries undergone include facial feminization surgery,
-breast augmentation, and various other procedures.

Even with all these procedures:
Trans women do not have ovaries or uteruses.
This means that they are unable to bear children or menstruate,
and that they will need to remain on hormone therapy after their surgery to maintain female hormonal status .

What's the need !

some women are with no womb, some with two wombs and some women cant menstrate so does that make them men? anyway she is happy thats all

stoned:
some women are with no womb, some with two wombs and some women cant menstrate so does that make them men? anyway she is happy thats all

Why all these stress just to re-create yourself?
Beside, they will need to remain on hormone therapy after their surgery to
maintain female hormonal status for the rest of their life
It doesn't worth it

Why not leave yourself the way God created you .
When He made you, there was no mistake and he called you BEAUTIFUL !

stoned:
some women are with no womb, some with two wombs and some women cant menstrate so does that make them men? anyway she is happy thats all

Forgive me! But I have to ask! Are you also transgender?

homesteady:
Forgive me! But I have to ask! Are you also transgender?

Lilimax:
Why all these stress just to re-create yourself?
Beside, they will need to remain on hormone therapy after their surgery to
maintain female hormonal status for the rest of their life
It doesn't worth it

Why not leave yourself the way God created you .
When He made you, there was no mistake and he called you BEAUTIFUL !

Bless you! Na oversabi dey worry dem. Missy B/Ijebabe please move this thrash to the appropriate section, the transgendered is no celebrity.

Lilimax:
Why all these stress just to re-create yourself?
Beside, they will need to remain on hormone therapy after their surgery to
maintain female hormonal status for the rest of their life
It doesn't worth it

Why not leave yourself the way God created you .
When He made you, there was no mistake and he called you BEAUTIFUL !

its not stress and not everyone believes in what God thinks.
if u dont feel beautiful within u, no other opinion will count. lik I said she is happy

homesteady:
Forgive me! But I have to ask! Are you also transgender?

no m not

demelza: Bless you! Na oversabi dey worry dem. Missy B/Ijebabe please move this thrash to the appropriate section, the transgendered is no celebrity.

u have always been small minded, anyway only trashy ppl comment on trash

stoned:
u have always been small minded, anyway only trashy ppl comment on trash

Said by a transgendered fôol seeking for validation online.

demelza: Said by a transgendered fôol seeking for validation online.

lol L.A.M.E

Colour_Tv: See this bàstard who does nt hv the chutzpah to come out in the real world calling sum1 beta small-minded.
Miserable dolt stinking this place wit ur gay rubbish. If u had a bit of sense, u wud hv known d appropriate section 2 take dis thrash. Piece of shît whose mum was obviously rapéd wit u as d product.

LMFAO!!!!!
Thats the way its done baby!

stoned:

lol L.A.M.E

Yup!
You are pretty lame.

demelza: LMFAO!!!!!
Thats the way its done baby!

you see what I was saying, birds of a feather. trashy people

Kill them!
Butcher them!!
Lynch them!!!
Behead them!!!
They are not human beings!!!

Well, I'm very happy for her... if other #LGBTQ can also have the courage to live their lives irrespective of the label, then suicide will be reduced to its barest minimum, especially in homophobic countries in Africa...

stoned:
you see what I was saying, birds of a feather. trashy people

You are right again!
I am on a thrashy thread, started by a thrashy poster, filled with thrashy comments. Why do I have to be different, when in Rome you know.....
I cant help being thrashy on your thread. Gays I can accept but transgender?

Colour_Tv: Kill them!
Butcher them!!
Lynch them!!!
Behead them!!!
They are not human beings!!!

Dude it isnt that serious!

You guys should stop derailing this thread please, this is an important topic!

stoned:
you see what I was saying, birds of a feather. trashy people

Crack-induced yabba dabba.
Kill them!
Butcher them!
ALUU them!!
They are worse than cockcroaches!

demelza: You are right again!
I am on a thrashy thread, started by a thrashy poster, filled with thrashy comments. Why do I have to be different, when in Rome you know.....
I cant help being thrashy on your thread. Gays I can accept but transgender?

atleast u have agreed that you're trashy...
u dont have to like them, tolerance is the key.
thought u were friends with hez? m surprised ur support colour tv who wants gay ppl dead. or u had to sink that low cos he backed u up?
see why I called u small minded

GSKing: You guys should stop derailing this thread please, this is an important topic!

I was hoping this would send a serious msg across. .. well wnt reply them agn, they will get tired nd stop hopefully

stoned:
no m not

Okay! I get it now! You are a lesbian!

stoned:
atleast u have agreed that you're trashy...
u dont have to like them, tolerance is the key.
thought u were friends with hez? m surprised ur support colour tv who wants gay ppl dead. or u had to sink that low cos he backed u up?
see why I called u small minded

Bravo! You sure know me, never knew you were friends with Hez. And just because I support him, does not mean I should automatically transfer it to you. This is the first time Im actually seeing your moniker. I supported colour because he came with a better jab than I could. If he's homophobic that its probs.
Its allowed to be small-minded on your thread only..... Dont take it to heart.