Danielle Myriam - Rest In Power

At the start of the year we lost a long time comrade and a dear friend of several members to her own hands. She was a lively soul who would often get lost in science fiction and loved to share the ideas for a better worlds she found in her reading, Worlds she worked towards by putting her considerable skills to work for several groups working hard to make the world a better place.

I first met Danielle, in a midge infested Scottish field where they were fighting against the industrial destruction of the environment for capitalist gains. She was full of passion and fire, we had a wonderful hike running recon that I'll never forget, A few days later we spent the day lay down, locked on, talking about The Culture series. We spent a night in the cells together for that and what a night. We spent it discussing and arguing politics, science fiction and boardgames. She spoke against the atrocities of this world with an erudite, compassionate voice and changed fundamentally who I am and how I approached the revolution.

She taught me to listen, to understand and put mutual aid and solidarity with the oppressed at the core of my politics. I'm sure on her travels she planted many such seeds and made the world a better place.

Unfortunately the world is not always a better place and when it came to transitioning she was hit with an uphill struggle. In the words of her close friend Alice:

“In a large part, it was transphobia that meant she could no longer face life.
It was having her gender questioned and doubted and fetishised and mocked in popular culture, and most painfully of all, amongst those that pre TERF wars, (TERF is someone who is anti trans people, but claim to come from a progressive, feminist, perspective) she would have thought were on the same side as her, as an Anarchist. ... She is not with us because the world is transphobic. When we argue with those who use language that insults, minimises, fetishises or stigmatises trans people its not just an abstract political theoretical debate. These things matter. Real people suffer. Their lives are made unliveable. And we lose dear people from the world, and from progressive political movements.”

Those who knew her will mourn her passing with love and fury in their hearts.
Please take time to reflect on those around you, touch base with your mates and hug your comrades. Suicide can sometimes happen in a moment of passion but often it builds up over time, the depression permeating every aspect of your life until you feel unable to carry on. If your mate's sharing dark memes, check in on them, let them know you love 'em. Give your transitioning pals a hug and tell them they are valid and worthy.

We will miss you forever sister.
Thank you for the last night we had playing games and chatting shit.

As she might have qouted “The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.” and she burned so very, very brightly.

She will not be forgotten.■

Rest in Power x

If you are suffering from depression, trauma and/or suicidal thoughts, please contact a friend or family member before you do anything drastic. Let them know what you are going through, contact a helpline, talk to folk, surround yourself with people and weather through this storm with those who love you.

You are not alone, you don't have to go through this on your own. You are not an island and your existence is important to those around you.

Helpful numbers:-
MindLine Trans+ - 0300 330 5468
Samaritans - 116 123
LGBT+ helpline – 0300 330 0630
Young Minds Crisis Messanger - Text 85268