Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20

On Trans Day of Remembrance, November 20, we honour those lost to violence, those who live through violence and transphobia, and recognize the need to disrupt the violence and oppression that trans people continue to face.

Trans Week of Awareness, November 13–19, is observed in the week preceding Trans Day of Remembrance to celebrate and increase collective understanding about the trans community. To symbolize UBC’s commitment to inclusion and support for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, the trans flag will be raised at UBC Vancouver and Okanagan for the duration of this observance.

The first Transgender Day of Remembrance took place in 1999 after the murder of Rita Hester, a Black trans woman, in November of the previous year.

Trans people at UBC and in our broader communities continue to face stigma, discrimination, and violence and each year more community members die as a result of acts of transphobia.

This is a significant and important day to remember trans lives lost, to reflect on how each one of us can better support trans individuals in our communities, and to reaffirm our commitment and investment in the work that still remains to be done. The trans flags raised on both campuses will be lowered to half-mast on November 20 to mark this solemn occasion.

We acknowledge, however, that the words, reflections, and intentions on this day can not sufficiently encompass the intersections of violence and identity in people’s lives. This consideration includes particularly the disproportionate amount of violence that impacts trans women, trans feminine folk, and trans people of colour, as well as the greater complexities of violence as a whole.

Read a statement from Dr. Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion.

Check out featured UBC events and more at events.ubc.ca/tdor/.