A Call to Action
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is an annual observance on November 20 that commemorates the lives of transgender and gender-nonconforming people who have suffered from violence, bias, and animosity due to their gender identity or expression. This day is a solemn reminder of the significant discrimination and danger that transgender people frequently encounter, including experiences like harassment, physical attacks, and even murder.
In 1999, transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith established TDoR in response to the tragic murder of Rita Hester, a transgender woman in Massachusetts. Smith organized a vigil to honor Hester’s life and advocate for change. Anger and concern following the murders of Monique Thomas and Chanelle Pickett, two trans women in Massachusetts, also helped motivate the first TDoR.
Each year on TDoR, communities worldwide hold diverse events including candlelit vigils and marches to raise awareness about the challenges faced by transgender individuals and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives. During these gatherings, the names of transgender individuals who have left us are often recited so that their spirits and stories continue.
While TDoR is a time of reflection, it’s also a call to action to end the discrimination, bias, and violence that disproportionately impact transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. As we witness an unprecedented number of attacks against trans people in the US today, the need to answer that call to action could hardly be more urgent.
According to data from transrespect.org, 95 percent of trans individuals killed globally were trans feminine people, and in cases where information on race/ethnicity was reported, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) trans individuals represented 65 percent. These sobering statistics show us that these fatal acts of violence are not only the result of transphobia, but in many instances, also of misogyny and racism.
To eradicate all hate and create a brighter tomorrow for everyone, first we must determine what kinds of hate we’ve internalized. Then, we can begin to deconstruct our own biases, do personal healing, and discover intersectional approaches to achieving equality.
LGBTQ+ individuals have diverse backgrounds and identities beyond sexual orientation or gender identity, including race, ethnicity, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, and the list goes on. Discrimination within LGBTQ+ subcommunities can be exacerbated when individuals experience multiple forms of marginalization and may not fully understand or empathize with the experiences of others.
Some LGBTQ+ individuals may internalize societal prejudices against their own sexual orientation or gender identity, leading to self-hate and projection of those feelings onto others within the community. This can manifest as discrimination or bias against individuals with different experiences.
But we are strong together. We should be especially unified now since hardly a day passes that we don’t hear about new anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced in state legislatures across the US, most of which target trans individuals.
According to translegislation.org, 574 pieces of anti-trans legislation were introduced in 2023, with 83 passing and 366 still active (at the time of this writing). This compares to fewer than 20 anti-trans bills introduced in 2015. The same growing hate that motivates efforts to limit basic human rights through policy also motivates physical, sometimes fatal, attacks.
While there’s no perfect way to advocate for change, one thing is clear: inaction is unacceptable, and silence is complicity.
As a cisgendered, queer, white man, I am still on a lifelong journey to shed my biases and be an intersectional advocate and ally. I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know that I might not be here today were it not for the trans people in my life who uplifted me when I needed it the most, and that I’ll do whatever I can to fight for others.
If you are looking for ways you can be a better advocate, start by listening!
You can also investigate resources like the National Center for Transgender Equality’s Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally, available at transequality.org. And, of course, you can get involved with grass-roots organizations like CAMP Rehoboth that provide essential services, resources, and advocacy to create change.
As we look toward this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, let us honor those we have lost by renewing our commitments to overcome unprecedented challenges and to build a future with limitless possibilities for us all. ▼
Stephen Raskauskas is a Sussex County native who has produced content for radio, TV, digital, and print.
Photo Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash.com