331, Say their names

"331" Say their namesBy Leonardo SinopoliDuration: 3.20h, Belgrade331 is not just a performance, it is a denunciation, a scream, a request for equal rights for the T * community. Over the past months, I memorized 331 dates and full names of transgender people killed in the past year. I will write these dates and names one at a time, letter by letter on a 10 meter long canvas, creating a large calendar. 331 transcribed names, among who knows how many other unreported victims who currently remain anonymous. Behind me, the audience has a list that specifies the cause of death for each person killed. The intent is to spark a reaction; I am not simply writing a list of names, I wish to commemorate people in flesh and blood who have been tormented, burned and/or stoned. I wish to bring attention to this historical period in which these crimes must no longer be accepted and can no longer go unnoticed. This act of support aims to bring to light the social inequalities of this demographic. Transgenders are constantly misrepresented in the media, leaving them subject to not only violence of the physical type but also psychological - not to mention the discrimination experienced when attempting to enter the workforce and the overall difficulty in being socially recognized as equal citizens. We need to try harder, we must commit to guaranteeing their protection and basic rights. It is unacceptable that their freedom of expression is denied and that their futile attempts to present themselves openly to their community are constantly met with refusal and violence. Let each of their names serve as a declaration for change. This is for these 331 people, victims of a silent massacre.