Thanks for publishing my photo about equality, Mashable.com

2013 Rally for Transgender Equality 21206
2013 Rally for Transgender Equality 21206 (View on Flickr.com)

I loved seeing Mashable (@Mashable) use a photograph that I took in yesterday’s post “9 Changes to Expect at Midnight on Jan. 1“. My photographs are always creative commons licensed because I think the human spirit is pretty great, and I want to share it with others :).

The previous times Mashable has used my photographs they have been for technology related stories, which Mashable is known for covering very thoroughly. This photograph is different. Here it is, and the story behind it is below.

The date was March 30, 2013, and I clearly remember what has happening when this was taken. A first-of-its-kind rally for trans health was about to take place in Tivoli Square, in the Columbia Heights Neighborhood, in Washington, DC. As these signs were being taped up by organizers, I watched the reaction of bystanders, with clearly disdainful looks on their faces. And yet, the organizers still kept putting up signs, and I kept taking pictures. Then the rally happened, and I watched a continuation of what started with the signs, as the transgender people of the community began to take control of their own destiny. I think that’s the moment that I became an ally, because I had seen exactly the same thing happen in my community and knew how significant it was.

About 2 weeks later, I posted one of the photographs on this blog (Photo Friday: Nico Quintana , his story | Ted Eytan, MD), but I made a conscious decision not to post the others.

It’s amazing to think 9 months later that the world has learned to love people who are transgender better and the documentation of it is as important as the latest piece of wearable technology.

My friend Dana Beyer, MD (@DanaBeyerMD) , in an excellent piece in the Huffington Post also yesterday ( see: Leadership and Professional Ethics | Dana Beyer), had this to say:

When all is said and done, the only ones who will care how the sausage was made will be the historians — possibly — and the participants themselves. And the best the dramatis personae can hope for will be to have a good laugh when reminiscing.

She’s right, a lot of people will never understand how much innovation, learning, leadership, friendship, beauty comes from being in the sausage making. We do, though, and the rest of the photographs from that day are posted below. Enjoy / Comments welcome / feel free to distribute (of course)

Ted Eytan, MD