Transgender Day of Remembrance

[steven_huang]

Did you know that November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance?

Transgender Day of Remembrance was first started in November 20th 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender advocate, who had held a vigil for Rita Hessler, a transgender women who was killed in 1998¹. What started off as a small annual event grew into a campaign that is observed every year in remembrance of all transgender people who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence².

Here are some facts about the issues that affect transgender people in the United States:

• About 50% of trans teen males, who were assigned female at birth, had attempted suicide at least once¹. About 30% of trans teen females, who were assigned male at birth, at attempted suicide at least³ . 
• 26 states do not have any laws preventing employers from firing someone who is trans⁴. 
• At least 22 people who identify as transgender or non-conforming have died this year due to violence ³.

While we as a country have made strides creating a safe environment for LGBTQI+ community, there is still a lot of work needed to ensure that everyone feels comfortable both in their personal and professional life.

Last June, in honor of Pride Month, we invited Jessica Soukup to speak at the office on how to be LGBTQ+ allies and how we all can make a difference.

                                     Video Link : 2500

Want to make an impact in your school or your community? Contact your local LGBTQ+ non-profit and learn how you can make a difference! Here are a few great resources to help you get started: 

https://www.hrc.org/

https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/schools

https://www.lambdalegal.org/sites/default/files/osr-admin_working-with-transgender-students.pdf

https://edubirdie.com/blog/transgender-college-student-resource-guide

https://www.glaad.org/amp/revamp-supporting-your-trans-students

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/trvr_support_center/trans-gender-identity/

¹Transgender Day of Remembrance | GLAAD 

²Transgender Day of Remembrance Resource Kit for Journalists | GLAAD 

³Trans teens much more likely to attempt suicide - Reuters 

⁴ http://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/non_discrimination_laws

⁵Violence Against the Transgender Community in 2019 | Human Rights Campaign