Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) occurs annually on 20 November; it’s “a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community”.
TDOR was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman and activist, who wanted to memorialize Rita Hester, a trans woman who was stabbed to death in Alliston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDOR has been held annually on November 20th each year.
Specifically, it memorializes our dead brothers and sisters that have been killed because they dared to be themselves.
Killed because of human intolerance and bigotry.
Killed because they did not fit into someone’s viewpoint on what makes a man or a woman.
They came from all races, religions, ages and countries around the world. And they died horrible deaths – beaten to death, shot, stabbed, beheaded, run over by cars….
We remember and honour them because it is important to honour their bravery and conviction to live their lives honestly, and to be the person they were meant to be. It’s important to remember them because we all know that this could happen to us.
And we know that it is up to us to continue to fight for rights and protections that will make all of us safe.
And to stand up and say: “NO! This is not right!”
Personally, it is also a time to remember other brothers and sisters in the trans community that didn’t make it out alive for a variety of other reasons: those that could no longer live with the pain and checked out, those that died before they could complete transition and those that left us with a hole in our hearts where they used to be.
So, on November 20th, please remember my fallen brothers and sisters. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Attend a TDOR ceremony in your community, if you can. And support the efforts of all of those who are trying to advance the cause of getting trans rights enshrined in law, in all the countries of the world.
Let all of us help stop the killing.
Finally, as union activists, please, please get out and support the passage of Bill C-279, which would insert gender identity into the Canadian Human Rights Code and into hate crimes legislation. The bill has been passed in the House of Commons and is currently sitting in a senate committee. Contact the senators on the senate committee and tell them over and over and over again that they need to support passage of this bill in its current form.
We are your friends; we are your brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, and even your grandparents. Help us get the same rights of all Canadians. Help us to truly take our place in this society.
Kate Hart is the Union of National Employees’ national equity representative for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. This article was written as part of our union’s member journalism program. If you’d like to find out more, click here – to pitch a story or for any questions, please send an email tocommunications@une-sen.org.