Yesterday – Sunday, November 20th – was the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day exists to honour the memory of transgender people who have lost their lives to transphobic violence, and to raise awareness of the injustices transgender individuals face.
Moments of silence and events honouring transgender people who lost their lives to violence in 2016 were held around Alberta. At McDougall Centre in Calgary, the City of Calgary raised the trans flag – there were also events at the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University and the CommunityWise Resource Centre.
Transgender Day of Remembrance affirms the need to support transgender human rights. It is also important to recognize the ways in which trans individuals continue to resist and fight against oppression and discrimination in their communities around the world. Events like these are bring people an awareness about the ways they can show respect, solidarity and support for transgender identities in their own communities.