Honoring Transgender Day of Visibility
"There's power in naming yourself, in proclaiming to the world that this is who you are. Wielding this power is often a difficult step for many transgender people because it's also a very visible one." — Janet Mock
In 2009, Rachel Crandall created International Transgender Day of Visibility to honor and celebrate transgender and gender non-conforming people in the LGBTQ community. Crandall’s story is one of resiliency and community care. She first came out at 8-years-old to her parents, “Their reaction was, ‘I never want you to say that out loud ever again,’” Crandall remarked to a crowd celebrating TDoV in Michigan. That is why when Crandall came out again in 1994, she became a fierce advocate for the TGNC community. Co-founding Transgender Michigan and Transgender Day of Visibility just two remarkable accomplishments among many for Crandall. The idea for TDoV was sparked because the only day dedicated to honoring the T in LGBTQ was Transgender Day of Remembrance. While it is vital we remember and honor those who have passed, Crandall saw a need to celebrate TGNC lives!
This year marks the thirteenth annual Transgender Day of Visibility. However, there have been TGNC people living bold and visible lives for centuries. The rich history of resiliency in the TGNC community can be linked back to people like Willian Dorsey Swann, who began drag balls in Washington D.C. in 1880, or the gender non-conforming organizers of 1965 Dewey’s Coffee Shop sit-in.
Moments of visibility for transgender communities often come out of necessity and resilience, instead of celebration.
Living in a society that not only focuses on binary genders but upholds cisnormativity through active discrimination against TGNC people creates an unsafe environment for many people to be visible. For this reason, we celebrate those who are visible and those who choose to not be visible. Being trans is not reliant on having a coming out moment or medically transitioning, your gender expression is valid as it is. There is no singular way to be trans.
In 2020, the Trump administration sent a record number of anti-trans legislation to the Senate. There is hope that moving forward as 2020 also saw a record number of TGNC people elected into positions of public office, including Sarah McBride, Taylor Small, and Stephanie Byers. While equity can be found through legislation, community care for TGNC people has also been sparked this past year. Organizations like Plume, House of Tulip, and G.L.I.T.S have seen massive support in providing healthcare and housing to TGNC people across the country. These accomplishments are an indicator of how we can show up for one another and provide care in times of need. When politicians and decision makers do not take necessary actions to protect the trans community, we can rely on the resiliency that lives in our bones.
If you are TGNC, allow this day to be whatever you need it to be. Slow down and reflect on your own journey to finding gender euphoria, celebrate with friends and community, attend a virtual event, or take celebratory selfies! This is a day to honor you, your process, how far you’ve come in your own journey and uplift your TGNC peers around you.
Actions for cisgender people to take on TDoV:
TDoV is an invitation for cisgender people to focus on how you can be an accomplice towards transgender liberation.
Educate yourself on transgender liberation. Step up into this responsibility by taking time to expand your learning. There are many ways to engage with learning tools about gender, spend some time on TDoV dedicated to unlearning the gender binary. A few of our blogs that can help get you started:
What is Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria and What Does it Have to Do with My Trans Child?
Why Trans Care Must Take a Health At Every Size (HAES) Approach
You can also follow our instagram and sign up for our newsletter, where we regularly share educational resources + tools.
Join local LGBTQ organizing efforts. If there is an LGBTQ community center or organizing hub near you, contact them and see what efforts they are working towards right now. Extend your support by volunteering to call on your elected officials or help fundraise for a specific goal they have set.
Have hard conversations with your loved ones. This labor so often rests on TGNC people to educate cisgender people on their own lived experiences. Taking on the work of being an accomplice means having hard conversations about binary gender, pronouns, and transphobia. Share the resources you’ve been learning from and invite curious dialogue about how to do better moving forward.
Journal prompts for TGNC folks:
Who is currently in your social support network? Do you want to celebrate with them for TDoV?
What brings you joy lately?
How can you lean into joy and pleasure for yourself?
How can you hold space and organize with fellow TGNC communities this year?
What brings you gender euphoria?
Who are some TGNC ancestors you want to honor today?
Journal prompts for cisgender therapists:
In what ways does being an accomplice to trans liberation show up in your work?
How do you create a safe space for your TGNC clients?
How are you continuing to engage with TGNC leaders in your community? Are there new ways you can support their work going forward?
What are ways you encourage your cisgender peers to further their education on TGNC rights?
Are there actions you can take to ensure your workplace is a safer environment for TGNC clients and therapists?
BLOG AUTHORS ALL HOLD POSITIONS AT THE GENDER & SEXUALITY THERAPY CENTER (G&STC). FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR THERAPISTS AND SERVICES PLEASE CONTACT US.