Dazed's LGBTQ Editor-at-Large, Shon Faye, had to endure the unspeakable before she took to the stage at Amnesty International Women Making History Festival on May 20 — and in the end, she triumphed.

There were mostly positive reactions right out of the gate when Amnesty International UK announced in early May that Faye would be hosting the one-day event. Twitter comments were enthusiastic, ranging from, "How exciting! I love reading Shon Faye's articles so seeing her live would be cool" to "Shon is an absolute angel and I’m sure she’ll make it a wonderful night." But the good reactions were quickly overshadowed by transphobic commentary about Amnesty International choosing Faye, with some (frequently women) going so far as to deadname or misgender Faye in an attempt to protest the festival altogether.

While Faye combatted those negative reactions in interviews ahead of the festival, it was her full speech (which you can read below) on Sunday that reminded attendees why she was there and furthermore, made it clear she was the perfect choice of host. Faye chose to pay tribute to all trans women, especially those who trans women who are working in sex work, are disabled, or who are working class. She gave special honours to two trans women: Naomi Hersi, who was tragically stabbed to death in London in March, and Turkish trans activist Hande Kader, whose murder sparked outcries and protests in her home country.

Faye's speech is both uplifting and sobering, a tribute to the trans women who have gone before her and who fight alongside her; her speech for the Women Making History Festival is necessary reading. 

Thank you so much. It’s been – let’s say – an interesting week and I am thrilled that I am still here before you today. Over the past week I have read some of the vilest abuse I have ever seen about myself — and it has some competition. Most of it centres around the belief I am an impostor or have no right to be here at a festival celebrating women because I am trans. I believe it fits into a wider culture of transphobia which is targeting my community in the UK media and online right now – a culture in which 2 in 5 trans people have experienced a hate crime in the past year, in which 45% of trans young people have attempted suicide, in which one in eight trans people have been physically attacked by a colleague or customer while at work.

Given that I was only intended to MC today, when I accepted Amnesty’s offer to host there was no intention I would be giving any kind of speech. As it is, I would instead like to dedicate the undue attention this moment has earned to the memory of a woman called Naomi Hersi. For those of you who don’t know, Naomi Hersi was a fun loving 31-year-old trans woman of Somali heritage who was stabbed to death in London in March of this year. For several days, the British media did not report on her death and when they did they frequently used the wrong name, misgendered her or otherwise belittled the way she had lived and died – as a woman.

I remember Naomi now along with all my black and brown trans sisters and siblings across the world who are experiencing an epidemic of violence because they are trans, women and of colour. I think of the trans woman of colour in my hometown of Bristol, so badly brutalised by Avon and Somerset Police in the hours after attempting to take her own life in 2015, the force ultimately had to pay out damages.

I think of women like Turkish activist Hande Kader – who like me was a well known and controversial trans activist in her country: but unlike me, she was a sex worker. Hande was tortured raped and set alight – there has been no justice for her murder.

An online petition this week insisted I should not have been centred in the arena of women’s human rights. I agree. It is trans women in sex work, disabled trans women and working-class trans women who do not share my advantages who must be centred in women’s human rights work. Instead of answering my critics I pay tribute to those women – because as long as trans women in the UK and around the world are being beaten, being sectioned,  being brutalised, being raped, being killed or surviving, thriving, living, laughing, loving,  and dying as women are then it is right and just that we are able to access the support and solidarity of feminist and women’s’ community.

Thank you.