November is Transgender Awareness Month

The month of November marks Transgender Awareness Month, a time for trans and gender nonconforming people and their allies to come together to celebrate successes and to take action on issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

During Transgender Awareness Month, there are a couple of important observances: Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).

Every year, between November 13th and 19th, people and organizations nationwide participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise visibility about transgender and gender nonconforming people and to address issues members of the community face. Awareness is raised by educating the public about who transgender/gender nonconforming people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues as prejudice, discrimination, and violence.

Transgender Awareness Week is a week-long lead up to November 20th, Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). TDOR was founded in 1999 by trans activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, an African American transgender woman who was murdered in Boston, MA on November 28, 1998. Rita Hester was a highly visible member of the Boston transgender community where she worked to educate people about transgender issues. A year later, Smith coordinated a vigil which sparked a movement to commemorate not only Rita Hester but all lost to anti-transgender violence. This year, TDOR marks its 22nd year when the first events were held in Boston and San Francisco. Since then, TDOR, Transgender Awareness Week, and Transgender Awareness Month have become national and international observances for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

This year also marks the return of in-person events following the horrendous year when the world saw COVID-19 spread and surge. Below are list of known events happening this month:

Wednesday, November 17th @ 9:00 a.m.
Transgender Awareness Month
November is Transgender Awareness Month at the VA. Please join SAGEVets and VA professionals representing Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx as we celebrate programs and services available to transgender and gender diverse Veterans. Hear from medical specialists and the Veterans who benefit from these services in this important one-hour virtual seminar. Medical providers, Veterans, and the public are invited to this free event.
Saturday, November 20th @ 6:30 p.m.
2021 Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance Candlelight Vigil
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA
This 23rd International Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those who have lost their lives due to their actual or perceived gender identity and expression. The first memorial was a candlelight vigil held in Boston in November 1999 to honor Rita Hester, murdered in 1998. Since then, annual memorials have been observed around the world around November 20. Since 2005, our support group has held an Annual Candlelight Vigil in Sacramento in observance of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance on a Saturday near November 20. People of all traditions are welcome to this inclusive community memorial. COVID-19 precautions will be observed.

Lastly and quite certainly not the least, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), 2021 has seen at least 43 transgender or gender nonconforming people fatally shot or killed in violence. The number given only refers to reported cases and not those unreported or misreported. Also, a majority of those killed are African American or Latinx transgender women.

Tylanna Alexander, 28, shot to death in Chicago, IL on January 6th
Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, shot to death in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico on January 9th
Bianca “Muffin” Bankz, early 30s, shot to death in Atlanta, GA on January 17th
Dominique Jackson, shot to death in Jackson, MS on January 25th
Fifty Bandz, 21, shot to death in Baton Rouge, LA on January 28th
Alexus Braxton, 45, killed in Miami, FL on February 4th
Chyna Carrillo, 24, killed in Wilmington, Pennsylvania on February 18th
Jeffrey “JJ” Bright, 16, shot and killed in Ambridge, PA on February 22nd
Jasmine Cannady, 22, sibling of JJ Bright, shot and killed in Ambridge, PA on February 22nd
Jenna Franks, 34, killed in Jacksonville, NC, discovered on February 24th
Diamond Kyree Sanders, 23, shot to death in Cincinnati, OH on March 3rd
Rayanna Pardo, 26, hit by car and killed in Los Angeles, CA on March 17th
Jaida Peterson, 29, killed in Charlotte, NC on April 4th
Dominique Lucious, 26, shot and killed in Springfield, MO on April 8th
Remy Fennell, 20s, shot to death in Charlotte, NC on April 15th
Tiara Banks, 24, shot to death in Chicago, IL on April 21st
Natalia Smut, 24, killed in Milpitas, CA on April 23rd
Iris Santos, 22, shot to death in Houston, TX on April 23rd
Tiffany Thomas, 38, shot to death in Dallas, TX on April 24th
Keri Washington, 49, killed and discovered in Clearwater, FL on May 1st
Jahaira DeAlto, 42, stabbed and killed in Boston, MA on May 2nd
Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, 42, shot in York, PA on May 3rd, died May 4th
Sophie Vásquez, 36, shot and killed in Brookhaven, GA on May 4th
Danika “Danny” Henson (aka Pryynce Daniel & Niia Da Don), 31, shot and killed in Baltimore, MD on May 4th
Serenity Hollis, 24, shot and killed in Albany, GA on May 8th
Oliver “Ollie” Taylor, 17, kidnapped/shot on May 12th, died May 19th
Thomas Hardin, 35, shot and killed in York, SC on May 2nd
Poe Black (aka Oliver Jackson & Legion), 21, killed and discovered in Niland, CA on May 11th
EJ Boykin (aka Novaa Watson), 23, shot and killed in Lynchburg, VA on June 14th
Aidelen Evans, 24, killed and discovered in Port Arthur, TX on March 18th
Taya Ashton, 20, killed in Suitland, Prince George’s County, MD on July 17th
Shai Vanderpump, 23, killed in Trenton, NJ on July 30th
Tierramarie Lewis, 36, killed in Cleveland, OH on June 12th
Miss CoCo, 44, shot and killed in Dallas, TX on August 7th
Pooh Johnson, 25, fatally shot in Shreveport, LA on August 23rd
Disaya Monaee, 32, fatally shot in Chicago, IL on September 6th
Briana Hamilton, 25, fatally shot in Chicago, IL on September 17th
Kiér Laprí Kartier, 21, fatally shot in Arlington, TX on September 30th
Mel Groves, 25, fatally shot in Jackson, MS on October 11th
Royal Poetical Starz, 26, fatally shot in Miami Gardens, FL on October 2nd
Zoella “Zoey” Rose Martinez, 20, fatally shot in Maple Valley, WA on August 31st
Jo Acker, 26, killed while confronting an active shooter in Boise, ID on October 26th
Jessi Hart, 42, killed and discovered in Banks, OR on October 17th