Siempre la Madre de Putas
Celebrating the life of Cecilia Gentili, and all the bright lights who make the world a better place for those who need it most
Vol. 38
In This Issue: ESSAY | NOW READ THIS | LISTEN UP | FINAL FRAME
I didn’t know Cecilia Gentili personally, but I am blessed to know and love and learn from people who did. I even know a precious few people I would put on a level with the force of nature that she apparently was: Fierce advocates and organizers, people who bend their life’s path toward building loving community and lifting up the people who’ve been forced into the margins. The world could use more of them.
Over the past week, as news of Cecilia’s untimely death spread, I have read and watched countless heartfelt tributes to her from a wide range of people, many of whom are artists and activists that I admire. It’s so clear that she touched the lives of many and left the world a little better than she found it–something I or anyone can only aspire to. She did her work–supporting sex workers and queer and trans people and those with HIV/AIDS in particular–despite/in spite of the difficulties thrown her way as a trans woman who initially came to the U.S. as an undocumented, trafficked sex worker. Despite our society’s demonization and marginalization of every part of her identity and her community.
In a final act of joyful resistance, Cecilia’s extensive family organized her funeral services in the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City - sight of poignant ACT UP protests in the ‘80s and ‘90s due to the Catholic Church’s homophobic stance and contribution to HIV/AIDS stigma. Something like 1,400 people–most dressed to the fabulous nines in her honor–crowded into the vast sanctuary to pay tribute to the self-described Mother of Whores, singing songs and chanting her name over the perplexed stares of the priests. You see, when setting it up, no one mentioned that the services were for a trans activist. In fact, the Roman Catholic Diocese of NY condemned the funeral after the fact and held a “mass of reparation.” Because celebrating the life of someone who did so much good is apparently a bridge too far for some who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus (a man whose whole jam was being in community with and supporting the most marginalized people, including sex workers).
Such a condemnation feels like an impotent tantrum thrown by a bully who’s finally facing the music of their actions after a lifetime of getting their way.
The more important takeaway is that a group of trans and queer folks finally made that space truly sacred, and they did it with courage and fucking style. That’s what we do, after all. That’s what makes us magical.
But even magical people need food, shelter, health care, dignity, and love. The Cecilia Gentilis of the world work(ed) hard to make sure we got/get it. I am grateful every day to her and everyone else like her who is doing the hard, important, day-to-day work of building a better world for all.
And I ask myself, how am I standing up for my people, my community, through my own actions and words? Who am I a role model or mentor for, and who has been that for me? Because we’re all role models to someone, whether we know it or not. So best to act accordingly, and strive to be for someone else (and for ourselves) who we needed in our lives when we were struggling.
Rest in power, Cecilia Gentili. May your memory and your legacy be a blessing and a comfort to your big, beautiful, extended family–and to all of us lucky enough to live in the world they/we are helping to create.
[Consider making a donation in her honor/memory to the organization she founded, Trans Equity Consulting, which works to build and support “the leadership of trans women of color, and to the centering of sex workers, immigrants and incarcerated peoples as experts in creating a more just world.”]
Now Read This.
“A Second Trump Term Would Be Hell for LGBTQ People” [Parker Malloy at The Present Age]
Like a lot of LGBTQ people, I’ve been a bit worried about what, exactly, a second Trump administration would mean for my basic rights and ability to live my life in peace. And while the Biden administration has let me down in a number of ways, the playbook being drawn up for a future Trump administration, called Project 2025, is outright terrifying for LGBTQ people.
“Earth to Media: Try to Get It - Nice, Ordinary People Can Be Fascists” [Brynn Tennehill for The New Republic]
In the end, the worst movements are always quietly enabled by otherwise ordinary men.
[Ed. Note: I really don’t like feeling forced to vote for the guy who continues to support Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people, because the other guy running for president has stated explicitly that he wants to be a dictator and will seek to punish and oppress people like me and my family/community and many others. Maybe, just maybe, we need a whole new system for campaigns and elections (first step: make them entirely publicly funded)?!]
“How Disabled Organizers Are Helping Palestinians in Gaza Stay Connected” [Kelly Hayes at Organizing My Thoughts]
For disability justice organizers Jane Shi, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Alice Wong, the distribution of eSims, as a form of mutual aid, presented a rare opportunity to provide material support to Palestinians in Gaza. Together, the three launched an effort called “Crips for eSims for Gaza.”
“Rafah: The Penultimate step in Israel’s march of genocide” [Jewish Voices for Peace]
An important update on the situation in Gaza and ways you can add your voice to calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid.
“Ohio, Michigan Republicans in Released Audio: ‘Endgame’ is to ban trans care for ‘everyone’” [Erin Reed at Erin in the Morning]
Never before have elected representatives spelled out the strategy of banning care for transgender adults so clearly. Representative Gary Click has ties to the Heritage Foundation and the Center for Christian Virtue, both of which are well known for playing a role in the development and authorship of anti-trans legislation. These freshly released recordings provide an important look into the endgame of anti-trans legislation: the elimination of transgender people from public life entirely through the banning of care at any age.
“GOP Governors Invoke the Confederate Theory of Secession to Justify Border Violations” [Mark Joseph Stern for Slate]
Vicious nativism is certainly not a perfect comparison to the totalitarian white supremacy that drove the slave states to Civil War, but it, too, springs from the diseased roots of bigotry, fear, and rage. It should be no surprise, then, that Abbott and his allies would adopt Confederate rhetoric in his quest to seize control over the border and subject migrants to anguish and death. By embracing the Confederate theory of the nation as a mere compact, he has freed himself to take even more aggressive measures against the federal government. We have been here before. It does not end well.
“Hundreds Of Journalists Just Lost Their Jobs. I’m One Of Them — And I’m Begging You To Pay Attention.” [Emily St. Martin for HuffPost]
This isn’t just about me or the others who now find themselves out of work. This is much bigger than any of us. Journalism is more crucial now than maybe ever. A free press holds politicians and leaders accountable. Journalists investigate and call out all the unkept promises and hollow plans spouted passionately from podiums. They hold feet to the fire and uncover abuses of power. It is often their work that shines a light into the darkest places to find answers — that offers and insists upon the truth in an increasingly unscrupulous world.
“In the Shadow of Silicon Valley” [Rebecca Solnit for London Review of Books]
Driverless cars are often called autonomous vehicles – but driving isn’t an autonomous activity. It’s a co-operative social activity, in which part of the job of whoever’s behind the wheel is to communicate with others on the road.
“Over 90,000 Satisfied Responses In Trans Survey; Largest Detrans Survey Only Had 100” [Erin in the Morning]
The survey managed to get responses from over 90,000 transgender people - more than 3 times the responses of the 2015 survey. This number represents a significant fraction of the estimated 1.6 million transgender people in the United States, and immediately becomes the largest dataset on transgender people in history. The vast majority of these transgender people report increased satisfaction, despite an increasing number of anti-trans laws passed in recent years.
Listen Up.
The band I joined about a year ago–LINE–just released a new music video for a previously unreleased song, “No Clarity,” and I am very stoked with how beautifully it turned out. We’ll be submitting this to NPR’s Tiny Desk contest, because hey, why not? And I hope you’ll take a few moments to watch/listen/enjoy.
All kudos to singer/songwriter Maddie Batzli, incredible videographer Alex Grant, audio engineers Audrey and Buzz at Audio for the Arts, and our very own band members Austin Lynch (bass) and Charlie Koczela (banjo) who rose to the occasion of mixing and mastering the audio (respectively).
Follow us on IG / check out the website for more.
Final Frame.
I’ve been in NYC this weekend hanging with my musical life boo, Meghan Rose, and hey guess what?! We’re writing new Damsel Trash music. I am SO. STOKED. Stay tuned for news later this year! And don’t forget to do something joyful with a person/people you love, whenever you can.
‘Til Next Time.
Thanks for reading and for standing up for your friends and neighbors! Take care of each other out there.
Always feel free to hit me up with questions, comments, suggestions, and tips on great hiking spots or good books. And please feel free to forward this email to a friend and/or hit that subscribe button. xoxo