Transgender

International Day of Transgender Visibility

By: Tanya Kramer – LPC

The day to honor the Transgender Community was started in 2009 by Rachel Crandall, a US-based transgendered activist. 

Since 2009, this movement has grown with the help of social media to recognize and honor the transgender community all around the world.  

President Joe Biden officially proclaimed March 31, 2021, to be the International Transgender Day of Visibility in the United States. 

This day celebrates the resilience, contributions, successes and accomplishments of the transgender community. It’s also a day to recognize the important work that still needs to be done to achieve trans justice.

The International Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates places where transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals thrive. While also acknowledging the areas of continued oppression resulting in continued work for visibility and reform.

To learn more about the history of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, take some time to explore the National Today website.

To learn more about this day and access resources you can use in your local school, take some time to explore the GLSEN website:

To learn more about the Human Rights Campaign along with resources specific to transgender individuals, explore the Human Rights Campaign website:

To learn more about the resources available through Transactive Gender Project at Lewis and Clark, explore the following website:

Here are some resources to share or access yourself to continue the movement:

  • Book “Gender – A Graphic Guide” by Meg John Barker and Jules Scheele
  • Book “The Gender Creative Child” by Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
  • Book “The ABC’s of LGBT+” by Ashley Mardell
  • Book “Good Boy – My Life in Seven Dogs” by Jennifer Finney Boylan
  • Podcast “Gender Reveal” with Tuck Woodstock
  • Podcast “Gender Stories” with Alex Lantaffi
  • Youtube video interview with Micah Rajunov – who also wrote the book “Nonbinary Memoirs of Gender and Identity” along with Scott Duane

For individuals seeking Gender Affirming Medical Care, follow up with one of these resources:

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Transgender Day Of Remembrance

November 20th is Transgender Day Of Remembrance, which is a time dedicated to honoring the transgender lives lost to acts of anti-transgender violence.

“Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people – sometimes in the most brutal ways possible – it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.” – Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith, who first started a candlelight vigil on this day to honor Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998.

It has since become a tradition that gives a voice to the millions of people who have been silenced. It is meant to be a day of remembrance as well as an opportunity to share the contributions of transgender people in our communities.  This can help to humanize people and hopefully lead to more understanding of those  

By coming together as a community, we can work towards ending the violence and discrimination that surrounds the lives of many transgender individuals. 

You can get involved in the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Candlelight vigils are a common way to mark the day, but you can also attend events such as marches, art exhibits, or panel discussions with local advocates. Connect with local LGBTQ organizations for a listing of events being held in your community.

We can continue to raise awareness for those who have been subjected to hate crimes by showing support as an ally. Speaking out against hate is an important first step.

You can learn more by reading stories created by transgender people, watching documentaries, or reaching out to someone you know. Click the link below for resources:

Transgender Day Of Remembrance

National Center For Transgender Equality 

Transgender Resouces 

Trans Lifeline 

I AM: Trans People Speak Campaign 

Transgender Reading List For Adults