Transgender Awareness Week ~ November 14-20

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman who is a graphic designer, columnist, and activist, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. November 20, is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia. The definition of transphobia is intense dislike of or prejudice against transsexual or transgender people. Researchers describe transphobia as emotional disgust, fear, anger or discomfort felt or expressed towards people who do not conform to society’s gender expectations.

Harassment and violence directed against transgender people is often called trans bashing, and can be physical, sexual or verbal. Transgender youth have such a higher risk of experiencing harassment and violence in school, foster care, residential treatment centers, homeless centers and juvenile programs. More than 75% say they do not feel safe in their own schools, nearly all trans youth say they were verbally or physically harassed in school.

Transphobia also manifests itself in the workplace. Some transgender people lose their jobs when they begin to transition. Based on a study in San Francisco there is a 70 percent uneployment rate with the city’s transgender population.

Closing out the Transgender Awareness Week we would like to remember all of out Transgender friends who we have lost.