Transgender Day Of Remembrance And The Fight Against Violence
On 20 November, we mark a significant date. It is Transgender Day Of Remembrance. This day brings attention to an ongoing issue that needs our focus: violence against trans people. The facts are clear. The numbers are real. The loss is profound.
We must never forget the lives lost to anti-transgender violence & discrimination. 🏳️⚧️ Share to support the #TransgenderDayofRemembrance! #NOH8 #TDOR pic.twitter.com/4NxulwzeGs
— NOH8 Campaign (@NOH8Campaign) November 20, 2024
Every Life Has Value
This day began in 1999 after Rita Hester died in Massachusetts. Her death sparked action. Today, it closes Transgender Awareness Week. The Williams Institute at UCLA Law notes that 1.6 million people in the US identify as transgender. They face higher rates of violence than others. The risk is four times greater.
In the 12 months leading up to this year’s remembrance, at least 36 transgender people were killed due to violence, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Since 2013, 372 transgender and gender-diverse individuals have lost their lives in reported incidents of violence.
These numbers, however, are likely an undercount. Many deaths go unreported or are misreported, with victims misgendered, delaying their identification and erasing their stories.
The data reveals harrowing trends. Two-thirds of the fatalities involved firearms, and nearly a third of victims with a known perpetrator were killed by someone they knew personally – an intimate partner, friend, or family member. Of the 36 victims identified this year, Black transgender women made up half the total. The youngest victim was just 14 years old, a stark reminder of the vulnerability of transgender youth.
On #TransgenderDayOfRemembrance, we honor the lives of Black trans women lost to violence, including Nizah Morris, Layleen Polanco, Mya Hall, Kiwi Herring, Kayla Moore, and LaDamonyon Dewayne Hall. pic.twitter.com/6NPqg3T6xC
— African American Policy Forum (@AAPolicyForum) November 20, 2024
A Fight for Safety and Equality
This year’s Transgender Day Of Remembrance comes amid a political climate that has heightened challenges for transgender individuals, especially in the United States. Recent legislative measures in several Republican-led states have imposed restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth, limiting their access to care and support.
Advocates warn that such policies, coupled with inflammatory rhetoric, are creating fewer safe spaces for transgender individuals. They fear that this environment could lead to an increase in violence against trans and gender-expansive people. These fears are not unfounded, as history has shown that marginalisation often fuels harm.
Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene is said to have told a GOP meeting that she’d fight a transgender woman if she tried to use a woman’s bathroom on the House side of the Capitol. When asked about the comments after the meeting, Taylor Greene dismissed the question saying, she “shouldn’t have to.”
Today is #transgenderdayofremembrance pic.twitter.com/1p8q6rKm82
— David Hayward | Artist (@nakedpastor) November 20, 2024
What Can Be Done?
Transgender Day Of Remembrance is not only about mourning but also about action. It’s a moment to amplify calls for safety, equality, and acceptance. Allies can support by educating themselves, advocating for inclusive policies, and standing against hate in all its forms.
This day reminds us that everyone deserves to live without fear, to be seen for who they are, and to thrive in a world that respects their identity.
As we light candles and speak names, we honour those we’ve lost and commit to fighting for a future where such a day is no longer necessary. Transgender Day of Remembrance is a testament to resilience, a call for justice, and a reminder of the work we must all continue to do.
