Father to share story of transgender son during Trans Day of Remembrance vigil

Wednesday marks Transgender Day of Remembrance — and in Windsor, WE Trans Support will be holding a candlelight vigil to mark the occasion.

Among those speaking at the vigil will be Rick Prashaw, an Ottawa author who co-wrote a book with his transgender son Adam Prashaw, titled Soar, Adam, Soar.

"It's a love story of a family, of a father," said Prashaw, who is a former Catholic priest who left the clergy to get married and have a child.

Adam died three years ago at the age of 22 as a result of a seizure-induced drowning accident. But now, his story is being shared by his father.

Thanks to more than 100 social media posts from when he was alive, Adam's own words have been woven into the book as well.

'Power of acceptance and love'

Prashaw said that at the vigil, he plans to speak about "the power of acceptance and love" and what that does for a young person.

"I really want to emphasize ... his love for himself. He was so determined to carry this through, because it could have been safe in the closet, but it was a smothering place to be. It was just a place where he couldn't be who he was," said Prashaw.

"So that's what I'm going to tell — just to celebrate his courage and to invite people to create safe places where these young people and all people of all ages who are transgender can celebrate and be who they are."

WE Trans Support member Stefanie Pest said the Trans Day of Remembrance memorializes those who have died due to trans violence, especially trans women of colour.

"It just points out that we are a marginalized community and that it's important to be aware that we are humans, we have human rights," she said. "And this victimization ... because we are who we are is just terrible in society, and we need to make a change for the better."

Pest was a local speaker during a book reading for Prashaw's book Tuesday night.

During her speech, she invited members of the public to attend Wednesday's vigil.

The vigil will take place at WE Trans Support's new location on Tecumseh Road, starting with an open house at 5 p.m. with the vigil to follow.

Prashaw described WE Trans Support's new centre as a "magnificent place."

"I'm going to tell people that Adam would just love a place like this to gather, to be safe and to see people like him and just to be able to get all [these] resources."

Windsor was Prashaw's 42nd stop on his book tour since the memoir was released in February.

In addition to Prashaw's transgender advocacy, he also spoke about organ donations during Tuesday's book reading.

Adam was a registered organ donor, Prashaw explained, whose donations upon his death saved four other lives.