18-year-old girl shot and killed her mother and stepbrother, then headed to the local high school where she shot more than 30 people, injuring two dozen and killing five, including four young children. She then turned the gun on herself.
This is an unspeakable tragedy, and all of Canada is reeling in grief and in shock. But what makes it more complicated is that the shooter was a trans woman. That’s because it risks putting the focus on the gender of the shooter as opposed to the tragedy of the loss.
It’s normal at times like this to feel confused, angry; even filled with hate toward the perpetrator and thoughts of revenge. All these feelings are liable to arise in the face of this kind of tragedy. They’re perfectly natural and part of the process of recovery. Problems arise when we hold onto the anger, hatred, and desire for vengeance.
Another normal tendency, when faced with a horrific act of violence, is to assign blame to the entire group to which the perpetrator belongs. People can make generalizations about the entire group, rather than seeing the violent act as something done by one individual. Interestingly, it tends not to happen when the individual belongs to a privileged group, but rather, when the perpetrator is part of a group that’s disenfranchised, marginalized, and subject to prejudice.
This is the time for love, not for vilifying an entire community
In this moment of extreme political polarization, transgender people are experiencing increasing levels of hatred and marginalization. This community has always experienced more than its fair share of hostility and attacks. In fact, trans people are far more likely to be the victims of violence than to be the perpetrators. Studies show that trans people are far more likely to face physical or sexual violence than cisgender people.
It should be underscored that those who study mass shootings have noted that in the recorded history of all the school shootings in the United States, only one of the perpetrators was trans. But those who want to vilify the trans community don’t pay attention to the facts.
They see a young trans person committing an act of unspeakable violence and immediately jump to inflammatory rhetoric, blaming trans folk and even the entire LGBTQIA+ community, for what happened at Tumbler Ridge. They characterize the trans community as made up of individuals who are unstable, deranged, and violent. This is patently false, as the statistics demonstrate.
This is the time for compassion and empathy
This is a heartbreaking moment in the history of Canada. We all need support in processing this tragedy. I so admire our new prime minister who has been promoting a message of compassion and unity. He chose to attend the vigil three nights after the shooting and brought the leaders of all of the other political parties, as well the governor general, along with him on his plane. This is the message we all need to hear.
Hatred and vilification aren’t what’s called for, now or ever. We need love and connection right now. We need kindness and empathy always.
My heart goes out to everyone affected by the events at Tumbler Ridge, and to anyone who has experienced trauma and who is triggered by these events.
May we all come together with open hearts and open minds and support one another in our healing journey.
----
Sign up here for my free bi-weekly wellness newsletter that brings you fresh, thought-provoking content.
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel where you’ll learn simple tips for taking the best care of yourself and your loved ones.
Tune in to my Ruthless Compassion Podcast where I go in-depth about topics like mental health, trauma, and loneliness.
Tune in to my Reel Mental Podcast where I host lively discussions with film critics and explore how mental health is portrayed on-screen.
Complete our Audience Listening Survey here.