"Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence… With so many seeking to erase transgender people—sometimes in the most brutal ways possible—it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice." –TDoR founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith
“November 20 marks Trans Day of Remembrance, an annual memorial for our murdered kin. The day gives us space to grieve the siblings—overwhelmingly Black trans women and femmes—who were pushed out of this world too soon. Our rebellious mourning recommits us to the living. We refuse to forget or forfeit our power, even in the face of epidemic violence.” –ChaKiara Tucker, Forward Together
In 2021, we lost: Tyianna “Davarea” Alexander, Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, Bianca “Muffin” Bankz, Dominique Jackson, Fifty Bandz, Alexus Braxton, Chyna Cardena Carrillo, Jeffery “JJ” Bright, Jasmine Canady, Jenna Franks, Aidelen Evans, Diamond Kyree Sanders, Rayanna Pardo, Jaida Peterson, Dominque Lucious, Remy Fennell, Tiara Banks, Jahaira DeAlto Balenciaga, Natalia Smüt, Iris Santos, Tiffany Thomas, Keri “Bobo" Washington, Thomas Hardin, Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, Sophie Vásquez, Danny "Pryynce Daniel" Henson, Serenity Hollis, Poe "Legion" Delwyn Black, Oliver “Ollie” Taylor, Tierramarie Lewis, EJ Boykin, Taya Ashton, Shai Vanderpump, Miss CoCo Chanel Wortham, Pooh Johnson, Zoella "Zo Zo" Martinez, D'isaya Monaee Smith, Brianna Ulmer Hamilton, Kièr Solomon, Mel Groves, Royal Poetical Starz, Jessi Hart, and Jo Acker.
There are names that will be added before the new year.
There are names we’ll never know.
Say their names and speak up for the living.
Remembrance
How do you remember an incomplete history, one erased or (almost) never recorded? Our historical record may be incomplete, but we know that transgender and gender-nonconforming people have existed in many cultures and societies around the world. Our common notions of blue for boys, pink for girls, who can wear high heels, and what some genders do or don’t do are a fairly recent invention. Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution covers trans history of the past hundred years and explores the changing terms, changing lives, and changing times of trans culture. In Histories of the Transgender Child, we learn that trans kids aren’t a new phenomenon at all. By knowing our history, we can move towards a future in which trans people are a visible, respected part.
Resistance
Part of good allyship means resisting the biases we have been taught and learning to respect and support the trans folks in our lives, whether they’re in our families, workplaces, or schools, to name just a few places. The Beginner’s Guide to Being a Trans Ally is a great introduction for adults and older teens to learn about trans people and how we can stand up for them. Being a Super Trans Ally! is great for kids ages 10+ who might want to learn how to be there for their friends or family members who are trans. Gender: What Everyone Needs to Know also offers some important information on what gender is and isn’t, and even what it could be.
Resilience
Being trans in this world can often present unique challenges in life, love, careers, and health. In Trans Love: An Anthology of Transgender and Non-Binary Voices, trans and non-binary writers discuss all forms of love, from familial, romantic, spiritual, and self-love as well as friendships and ally love. As one writer puts it in the very first section, “Love is a fundamental human right... You are not less deserving of love because you are trans.” The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care and Headcase: LGBTQ Writers and Artists on Mental Health and Wellness explore physical and mental health barriers and supports for trans people.
This Trans Awareness Week, and in honor of Trans Day of Remembrance, check out these books, DVDs, and more in our list: Remembrance, Resistance, Resilience: Reading Trans Lives, Fostering Trans Allyship.
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