Transgender Day of Remembrance: Remembering, Honoring, and Committing to Change

This Thursday, November 20th, we pause to honor the transgender and gender-expansive individuals whose lives have been taken due to anti-trans violence.  It is a day rooted in both grief and resilience—a moment to reflect on the reality that far too many in the community experience.  Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is more than just a memorial; it is a call to collective responsibility.

TDOR was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998.  The vigil commemorated all of the transgender people lost to violence since Hester’s death, and has been an annual tradition since.

How can you get involved?

• Attend or organize a vigil to honor lives lost
• Learn about the violence affecting the transgender community 
• Advocate for everyone to be safe and free to exist fully as themselves (call your politicians!)

For Those Mourning, Remembering, or Seeking Comfort:

• Connect with a trusted friend or community member
• Engage in a soothing sensory activity
• Journal about what you want to release or hold close
  
• Allow yourself rest without guilt

Daisy Counseling’s Commitment:

• Affirming and culturally responsive care
• A safe space to explore identity and lived experience
• Support that honors your autonomy
• Advocacy within and outside the therapy space

As we honor those who are no longer with us, may we also hold hope for a future where trans lives are not just remembered, but celebrated, protected, and fully supported.  May we show up with compassion, courage, and a commitment to creating safer communities.

Read more here:https://glaad.org/tdor/