Transgender Day of Visibility
Walnut Creek Civic Park, Hosted by Rainbow Community Center and the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County
A number of speakers and representatives of the transgender community, support organizations, and welcoming and accepting faith based groups spoke at the Walnut Creek Transgender Day of Visibility. The MDUUC LGBTQ & FRIENDS committee was represented as well, and passed out TRANS PRIDE bracelets.
The MDUUC Congregation had written supporting notes for the transgender community during services for the previous Sunday, and these were strung together and hung about the gazebo, along with Trans Pride flags and balloons.
The MDUUC Congregation had written supporting notes for the transgender community during services for the previous Sunday, and these were strung together and hung about the gazebo, along with Trans Pride flags and balloons.
Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is a day to show your support for the trans community! Every March 31st, it aims to bring attention to the accomplishments of trans people everywhere while fighting cissexism and transphobia by spreading understanding of trans people. Unlike Transgender Day of Remembrance, this is not a day for mourning: this is a day to be empowered and give the recognition trans folks deserve! Visibility is not about being seen as an individual: it’s working together to transform society.
Rachel Crandall, the head of Transgender Michigan, created in TDOV in 2009 to celebrate the trans community in a positive light. Read more about it here. Since 2013, Trans Student Educational Resources has taken over most social media, promotion, and outreach for TDOV.
This year’s theme is “surviving, thriving” (#TransThriving). This acknowledges the number of major transgender achievements in the past 12 months. We are not only surviving the current administration, but we are making strides to transform how people think about gender around the world. In the increasingly transphobic global political climate, we must use our newfound visibility to mobilize trans people against oppression. Speaking out, taking direct action, and educating others is critical to our safety and wellbeing. This recognizes that while visibility is important, we must take action against transphobia. Visibility is not enough alone to bring transgender liberation. However, we can use visibility as a vital tool for transgender justice.
