On November 12 – 20, individuals and organizations around the county will participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and address the issues these communities face. The final day of Transgender Awareness Week is the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. You can read more about Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of remembrance below, and find out how you can participate.
What is Transgender Awareness Week?
Transgender Awareness Week is a time for transgender people and their allies, to take action and bring attention to this community by educating the public and advancing advocacy around the issues that transgender people face.
What is the Transgender Day of Remembrance?
The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor her friend Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence that year and began an important memorial that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.
How can I participate in Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance?
Participate in the Transgender Day of Remembrance by attending or organizing a vigil on November 20 to honor all those whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence that year. Vigils are typically hosted by local transgender advocates or LGBT organizations, and held at community centers, parks, places of worship and other venues. The vigil often involves reading a list of the names of those who died that year.
Find out more at www.glaad.org/tdor or www.transgenderdor.org