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The Kingston community united in love and remembrance to honour transgender lives lost and uplift those alive.
In remembrance of transgender lives lost to anti-trans violence, Queen’s Education on Queer Issues Project (EQuIP), TransFamily Kingston (Tfam), Yellow House Student Centre for Equity and Inclusion, and the AMS Social Issues Commission came together to observe the 25th Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) through a vigil hosted by EQuIP and Tfam at Springer Market Square on Nov. 20.
In an interview with The Journal, the Yellow House Sexual and Gender Diversity Advisor Kel Martin said TDOR is a challenging time for gender-diverse individuals. According to their mandate, the Yellow House is committed to creating a comfortable space for students who identify as Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (QTBIPoC).
“[TDOR] is a time to honour those lost to anti-trans violence, to come together, to grieve the lives lost, and fight for a better future for those of us still here,” Martin said.
The vigil opened with remarks from the AMS Social Issues Commissioner (Internal), Jana Amer, who urged attendees to reflect on the countless transgender individuals who’ve lost their lives in the struggle for trans-rights.
“To everyone here as well, your presence tonight is an act of solidarity and I hope you take this moment to reflect on the lives that have been lost and mourn the injustices they’ve faced,” Amer said.
Activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith founded TDOR in 1999 in honour of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. According to statistics on gender-based violence in Canada, transgender and gender diverse individuals are significantly more likely than cisgender individuals to be physically or sexually assaulted at least once since the age of 15. A speaker at the vigil explained, TDOR is a time to mourn transgender people who lost their lives to violence, homicide, and suicide. The day is a commitment from the community to protect trans community , they added.
The vigil later featured performances honouring the lives lost and a story on resilience and the importance of community, shared by Rina Khan, a PhD student in computing.
Khan discussed the profound impact of community on her life in the past year as a transgender woman from Bangladesh, where she was made to conform and disregard her identity.
“I met wonderful people who held me, who affirmed me, who accepted me, who showed me a way to not just exist, but to thrive,” she said. “Over and over and over again this year, I’ve come to realize what keeps me alive is the community, is our resilience, is each other, is the we give each other,” Khan said in her speech.
As Queen’s primary space for QTBIPoC indivduals, the Yellow House marked the observance with additional and programming for students.
“Transgender Day of Remembrance honours the lives lost to anti-trans violence over the past year, while also celebrating the ongoing resilience of the trans community. It’s a reminder to everyone that transgender and gender diverse people are here to stay, continuing to endure and push for a society that uplifts trans voices and lives,” Yellow House Chair of the Student’s Action Group on Sexual and Gender Diversity, Lauren Jack wrote in a statement to The Journal.
Jack explained part of transgender remembrance at the Yellow House is helping gender-diverse people find a community on campus through organized initiatives, including care kits assembled, affirmations written by gender-diverse students, and events planned by gender-diverse staff.
TDOR takes place every year on Nov. 20.
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