Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). It is an annual observance on November 20th that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. The day was founded in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated the one-year anniversary of Hester’s death and all the transgender people lost to violence that year.
Transphobia is not new; Two-Spirit, trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse communities have been fighting for and taking care of each other in the face of anti-trans violence all throughout history. Still, we are living in a time of heightened violence against Two-Spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender diverse individuals. We continue to honour those who have lost their lives in the face of this violence, and hold each other in our grief. We do this not only on November 20th each year, but as an ongoing practice.
YWCA Toronto’s Gender Identity Policy Implementation Committee (GIPIC) has collected some resources for Two-Spirit, transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse individuals, and allies including vigils and gatherings you can attend, and support and educational resources. GIPIC has also compiled a list of resources you can access here.
GTA Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigils and Gatherings*
*Please review the invite information in each specific event to see which gatherings are open to allies.
Resources for Two-Spirit, Transgender, Nonbinary and Gender Diverse Individuals