Aug 10

Aug 10 Trans Rights

Chicago, Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

Had it not been for the Arbaeen Procession this morning, I most likely would have skipped the 1:00 PM Trans Rights demonstration at Federal Plaza. After all, the oppressive heat and humidity still permeated the air. Moreover, the demonstration was unlikely to draw much of a crowd on a Sunday afternoon in the otherwise deserted Loop.

Despite being out in the sun since 9:30 PM, marching with the Shia Muslims celebrating Arbaeen, I made the five block journey to Federal Plaza from Upper Wacker Drive, where those gathered for the Arbaeen Procession had come to an extended standstill. In total, 75 people showed up for the Trans Right demonstration.

The rally lasted no more than 50 minutes, with six or seven people speaking. Surprisingly, the chanting was minimal and restrained. The affair was dull.

The first speaker pointed out the intersectionality between Native Americans and Transgender people. Not surprisingly, this speaker began their speech with some now very worn virtue signaling, pointing out that the land we were standing on first belonged to a Native American tribe. By now, I should remember the tribe’s name, but I don’t.

The other speakers addressed the issues faced by Transgender youth; the most important one being Donald J. Trump’s effort to deny medical treatment to people who are transitioning. Those treatments include hormonal therapy and surgical treatments.

Illinois State Representative Hoan Huynh proved to be the day’s highlight. I heard him speak two days ago at the Weiss Memorial Hospital rally. Once again, he proved to be a dynamic speaker. Huynh currently is a candidate for Illinois’ Ninth Congressional District. The field is crowded, so I will be watching to see whether he breaks out of the pack.

Apparently, the organizers planned a march following today’s speeches, but decided at the last minute to scrub it, presumably because of the heat and the lackluster turnout. Normally, the highlight of most demonstrations is the march. Yet, I wasn’t all that disappointed today; I had already been standing outside for four hours.

Yet, without the march, I did miss one visual treat. For the second time, I ran into a guy who brings a paper mache Donald J. Trump piñata with him. The first time I saw him, he gave the marchers the opportunity to take a swing at the piñata with a pole. When I left the demonstration today, the piñata was still intact. The last time, it was in tatters.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]