Trans Day of Remembrance was started by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honour her memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was brutally killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death and began an important memorial that has now become an annual event.

This day raises public awareness of hate crimes committed against transgender people, an action that mass media often fails to perform. It is a day to publicly mourn and honour the lives of the trans people lost to anti-transgender violence and discrimination. On … Read the rest

Trans Awareness Week runs from 13 – 19 November every year and on the 20^th we commemorate Trans Day of Remembrance.  This is a time where we share and uplift the voices and experiences of the trans community. This is an opportunity for transgender people and their allies to take action and bring more attention to the community by educating the public, sharing their stories and advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination and violence that affect the transgender community.

On campus, look out for the trans flag being flown by the Hartley Library. Pronoun badges can … Read the rest