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By Marni Rose McFall
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November 20 marks Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day which is used to honor and remember transgender individuals who have lost their lives to violence.
The Williams Institute at UCLA Law estimates that there are 1.6 million people in the U.S. aged 13 and older who identify are being transgender.
As people around the world get ready to mark and celebrate the day, Newsweek looks at its history and its importance.
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What Is Transgender Day of Remembrance?
"Transgender Day of Remembrance is an annual memorial for those whose lives have been taken by anti-transgender violence over the past year," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis told Newsweek. It is marked on November 20 every year.
It was founded in 1999, in order to honor Rita Hester, a transgender African American woman who was killed in Massachusetts. It was founded by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender activist and writer. Though it originated in the U.S., it has expanded globally.
The day marks the end of Transgender Awareness Week, which is used to raise awareness and knowledge about the transgender community.
Events, including candlelight vigils and memorials, are held to mark the day.
Memorials typically include readings of names of people who have died between October 1 of the former year, to September 30 of the current year.
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"Each year on November 20th, we recognize Transgender Day of Remembrance to honor the lives of transgender and nonbinary people that were lost to anti-transgender violence and hate," Keygan Miller, director of public training at the Trevor Project, told Newsweek.
"This year's recognition comes at an especially difficult time for our community—as many transgender and nonbinary people in the U.S. have been feeling the heavy weight of anti-transgender politics and rhetoric."
"We commit to working harder, and working together, to pave the way for a more inclusive future for transgender and nonbinary people everywhere," Miller said. "For any transgender or nonbinary young person who needs support right now, know that you are not alone, even if it feels that way sometimes. You have millions and millions of people in your corner who want to see you lead the happy, healthy, long lives that you were born to lead."
What is the difference between Transgender Day of Remembrance and Transgender Day of Visibility?
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is about remembering, mourning and honoring transgender individuals who lost their lives to violence. The Transgender Day of Visibility is about celebration and visibility for the living transgender community.
Transgender Day of Visibility, observed annually on March 31, focuses on celebrating transgender people, their achievements, and their contributions to society.
It is a day of positivity and empowerment, aimed at increasing the visibility of transgender individuals while addressing the discrimination and challenges they continue to face.
Created in 2009 by activist Rachel Crandall, it highlights the importance of celebrating living transgender people and their identities. Activities on this day often include educational events, social media campaigns, and community celebrations, fostering a sense of pride and resilience within the transgender community.
How Many Transgender People Have Lost Their Lives to Violence?
Violence against transgender individuals in the U.S. remains a concern.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) reports that at least 36 transgender and gender-expansive people have been killed in the past year, with the majority being young individuals of color. Black transgender women constitute half of these victims.
"Today, we honor each of those 36 beautiful souls, as well as the many more that go unreported or unrecognized," Miller told Newsweek.
Hate crimes targeting transgender individuals have been on the rise in recent years.
The FBI's 2022 Hate Crime Statistics, released in October 2023, reported 469 incidents motivated by gender identity bias, marking a 32.9 percent increase from the previous year.
Why Does the Transgender Day of Remembrance Matter?
The Williams Institute at UCLA Law states that transgender individuals are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violence. This includes rape and assault.
Ellis told Newsweek: "We are living in a perilous time, with transgender people increasingly being targeted by people in power. It is incumbent on all of us to demand that elected officials and other leaders work to end this epidemic of disinformation, and protect and celebrate trans lives.
"Transgender Day of Remembrance serves as a message of hope to the living that there is a strong and vibrant community that values you, supports you, and is inspired by you. We will never stop fighting for you."
This year, Delaware state Senator Sarah McBride made history as the first openly transgender woman to be elected to Congress. McBride has long been a trailblazer; she was the first trans woman to intern at the White House, and the first trans person to speak at the Democratic National Convention.
McBride's win was widely celebrated, but the 34-year-old has since been in the firing line from Capitol Hill Republicans. She was publicly misgendered by Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, and North Carolina Representative Nancy Mace filed a bill seeking to ban transgender women from using women's bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol. She called it "common sense for women's safety."
Update 11/21/24, 03:37 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Sarah Kate Ellis.
Update 11/20/24, 11:39 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Keygan Miller.
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