Held on Nov. 20 every year since 1999, It began as a vigil.
The occasion originally commemorated Rita Hester, a 34-year-old Black trans woman who was murdered in Boston the previous year. It's a day that draws attention to the continued violence directed toward transgender people.
In recent years groups like the National Center for Transgender Education and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) would list the names of 40-50 transgender people murdered in the previous year; just because they were trans. According to HRC, in 2022, hate crimes based on gender identity were up 32.9% from the year before.
It is interesting to note that most national LGBTQ+ organizations are now turning their attention to the violence done to transgender people via the actions of state legislatures. In Wisconsin, several anti-trans bills were recently fast-tracked through the state Senate and Assembly. Governor Tony Evers has promised vetoes for all these efforts.
As of this writing, there are no plans for formal recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR). Instead, I encourage you to observe a moment of silence on November 20th and then perform a random act of kindness for someone you know who is transgender or simply special, unique, and different. Let's spread love and acceptance on this day.
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