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Today is the Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR), a time meant to memorialize all transgender and gender non-conforming people who have been murdered in acts of anti-trans violence.
In 2020, at least 37 transgender and gender non-conforming people in the U.S. were violently killed, reports the Human Rights Campaign. Most of the victims were Black or Latinx. Globally, 350 people were killed, according to Transrespect Versus Transphobia Worldwide. And the actual figures may be higher, since these killings often go unreported or get misreported.
Anti-transgender bias is fatal. But that doesn’t mean transgender people have to live in fear or in silence. As Danielle Ehsanipour, the director of the Lifeline at The Trevor Project, who uses they/them pronouns, says, “I try to remind myself and my community that at times when systems, structures, and cisgender people hurt trans people or hold us back, I can be an antidote. We can take care of one another, love one another, validate one another at times when the rest of the world can't,” they say.
On TDOR, we all remember the people who lost their lives too soon. Allies may also dedicate time to advocating for the transgender community, whether by amplifying LGBTQ voices on social media or donating to a worthy cause. Many trans and non-binary people also spend the day connecting with their community and participating in self-care. Swipe through to learn how eight trans and non-binary people are choosing to commemorate this important day, and what advice they wish they'd heard as a young person.
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