Muskoka Pride will be hosting a Trans Day of Remembrance event at the Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst.
“Trans Day of Remembrance is a day to recognize and honour the fact that many hundreds of transgender and gender diverse individuals around the world get killed each year through transphobic violence,” Shawn Forth, Promotions Coordinator for Muskoka Pride, says.
The Trans Day of Remembrance has been recognized on November 20th since 1999.
Forth says 375 transgender and gender-diverse people were murdered worldwide last year, but that number may be inaccurate. “In some countries that are very transphobic, someone may not be recorded as gender diverse, they may be recorded under their original name, or possibly under no name at all,” he explains.
Since records started being kept in 2008, 4,042 transgender deaths have been reported worldwide.
In the decades since the day of remembrance was first recognized, Forth says the biggest change is visibility. He says that more people are comfortable coming out as transgender.
“One of the most important things is for people who identify as LGBTS+ – particularly in the trans and gender diverse community – to be out and openly visible,” Forth says.
The event will be held at the Trinity United Church in Gravenhurst on Saturday, starting at 7 PM. Reverend Carol-Anne Chapman will lead the service, followed by a community gathering hosted by Muskoka Pride.
The service will include reading off the names of all the trans and gender-diverse people that died between October 1st, 2020 and September 30th, 2021.
Forth says the day can be “sobering” for those in the trans community, so he asks that you reach out to someone you know is transgender and offer your support.