Trans Day of Remembrance aims to honour and remember transgender individuals who have lost their lives in acts of anti-transgender violence.
What is Trans Day of Remembrance?
It is annually held on the 20th of November to honour and remember transgender individuals who have lost their lives in acts of anti-transgender violence.
When was the first Trans Day of Remembrance?
The first Trans Day of Remembrance was in 1999.
Who founded Trans Day of Remembrance?
Transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Why?
She wanted to remember Rita Hester, who had been killed in 1998 due to being a transgender woman.
The Importance
Stonewall in 2019 discusses the importance of why we still hold Trans Day of Remembrance and how, even 20 years after the first service was held, numerous transphobic attacks resulting in the loss of life are still occurring. In 2019, they had identified that before November 20th, there had already been 331 deaths worldwide. However, these are only the ones that could be identified by Stonewall. It is a day where the LGBTQI+ community and its allies can band together in a safe space and remember all those who have been lost. The Human Rights Campaign aims to try to track those who have passed away each year. This year they have identified 25 individuals.
What are appropriate hashtags for social media?
- #TransgenderDayOfRemembrance
- #TDOR
- #TransRightsAreHumanRights
- #TransVisibility
- #StopTransphobia
- #RememberAndRespect
Vigils
Stonewall has created a list of different vigils that can be attended both in person and online.
stonewall.org.uk/trans-day-remembrance-2023