Nov. 13-20 is Trans Awareness Week. It Ends with the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.
Trans Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community. It helps raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and address the issues the community faces. Trans Awarness Week is a chance to reflect and learn from the stories of Trans and gender non-conforming people. It’s a time for trans and non-binary people and their allies to take action by advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that trans people face.
TDOR was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honour the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. A day to honour those lost to anti-trans violence and to continue the fight for justice.
How to Participate in TDOR on Nov. 20
This year many vigils are happening online. SERC Brandon is hosting an online zoom vigil from 7-8pm.
