Trans Awareness Week (also known as Transgender Week of Awareness) is an annual event held to honor and raise awareness about the transgender community. It takes place Nov 13th -19th leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which occurs on November 20th.
During Trans Awareness Week, various events, campaigns, and activities are organized to highlight the experiences, struggles, and achievements of transgender people, as well as to help educate the public about issues like gender identity, trans rights, and social acceptance. The week aims to foster understanding, support, and advocacy for transgender individuals, shedding light on topics such as discrimination, mental health challenges, and the need for legal protections.
The week serves as an opportunity for both the trans community and allies to come together, share personal stories, engage in advocacy, and push for greater inclusivity and visibility.
What is Transgender Day of Remembrance?
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually from its inception on November 20th 1999 to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia. The day was founded to draw attention to the continued violence directed toward transgender people. Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded by a small group, including Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Nancy Nangeroni, and Jahaira DeAlto, to memorialize the murders of Black transgender women Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts, and Chanelle Pickett in Watertown, Massachusetts. After Hester's death in 1998, Smith was surprised to realize that none of her friends remembered Pickett or her murder three years prior, saying "It really surprised me that it had already, in a short period of time, been forgotten, and here we were with another murder at the same site." The first TDoR took place in Boston and San Francisco, as both Hester and Pickett's deaths occurred in November. TDoR continued to be observed annually on November 20, the anniversary of Pickett's murder. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries.
Typically, a TDoR memorial includes a reading of the names of those who died from October 1 of the former year to September 30th of the current year and may include other actions, such as candlelight vigils, dedicated church services, marches, art shows, food drives, and film screenings.
What can I do to become a better ally?
Learn about trans people by educating yourself with credible resources about community, language, issues, stories, and actions.
The GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Focus on Transgender People
GLAAD's Media Reference Guide: Transgender Terms GLAAD's Media Reference Guide: Transgender People and Issues GLAAD's Tips for Allies of Transgender People For more resources to learn about transgender people, check out: https://glaad.org/transgender/
To find other resources on particular topics related to the trans community, type into the search bar for results. For example, if you're looking to find out more about transgender healthcare, type "transgender healthcare" into the search bar and relevant results will populate.
For authentic, accurate, and diverse portrayals of transgender people, check out the GLAAD Media Award nominations which include spotlights on TV, movies, video games, journalism, and music that feature outstanding examples of representation.
