Transgender Awareness Week | |
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Observed by | Transgender community and supporters |
Date | November |
Frequency | annual |
Related to | Transgender Day of Remembrance, International Transgender Day of Visibility |
Part of a series on |
Transgender topics |
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Category |
Transgender Awareness Week, observed November 13 to November 19, is a one-week celebration leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which memorializes victims of transphobic violence. [1] TDoR occurs annually on November 20, when transgender advocates raise awareness of the transgender community through education and advocacy activities. [2] [3] [4]
The first week of November typically begins with third parties hosting events at venues (including online venues) surrounding a main central venue, followed the second week by more venues at the main area showcasing more and more in-depth events. [1] [5] The purpose of Transgender Awareness Week is to educate about transgender and gender non-conforming people and the issues associated with their transition or identity. [2]
This section may contain material not related to the topic of the article and should be moved to Transgender history instead.(November 2019) |
There have been many pivotal historical moments that relate to transgender advocacy.
These are just a few of the many important moments that have led to increased transgender advocacy and awareness. [6]
Participants in Transgender Awareness Week are encouraged to organize events that serve as educational opportunities to the community. One possible event is the screening of a trans-themed movie, such as the film Paris is Burning, which highlights gay and transgender ball culture in New York City. [6] [7] Another educational event is the personal testimonies of local transgender people and the issues they face because of their gender identity. [7] "I AM: Trans People Speak" is a collection of videos regarding transgender people's personal testimonies that could be shown in place of a live testimony. [2] Other events have revolved around the discussion of trans-themed books or the observation of a trans-themed art show or performance. [7]
In San Francisco, Transgender Awareness Week was expanded to cover the entire month of November starting in 2018 by Mayor London Breed and Clair Farley, director of the city's Office of Transgender Initiatives. [8] In November 2019, each member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave a commendation to a member of the trans community. [9]
A study conducted by the Williams Institute in 2016 concluded that 0.6% of the U.S. population (1.4 million people) identify themselves as transgender. [10] In 2008, only 8% of Americans reported knowing or working with someone who is transgender; by 2015, this had doubled to 16%, according to a Harris poll, [11] and by 2021, this had risen to 42% according to a Pew poll, [12] but it is still far less than the number of Americans who know someone who is gay or lesbian (87%, as of 2013, according to a Pew poll).
Trans people face many issues within their community that cause them to feel like they are in danger and are unsafe. [13] A survey found that 50% of trans people report having been raped or assaulted by a romantic partner. [14] Trans people have been murdered simply for being trans, [15] in addition to their loved ones and/or friends because of being involved with them. [16] Some trans women were arrested for fighting back against their attacker. [17] Trans people and supporters formally united with one another and took stands against discrimination towards trans people by holding protests. [6] Transgender Awareness Week was established in response to these killings and imprisonments in order to highlight the challenges faced by trans people.
Riki Anne Wilchins is an American activist whose work has primarily focused on the impact of gender norms.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually from its inception on November 20 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.
The Bisexual Resource Center (BRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that has served the bisexual community since 1985. Originally known as The East Coast Bisexual Network, it incorporated in 1989 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and changed its name to the Bisexual Resource Center in 1993.
The bisexual community, also known as the bi+, m-spec, bisexual/pansexual, or bi/pan/fluid community, includes members of the LGBT community who identify as bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual and sexually fluid. As opposed to hetero- or homosexual people, people in the bisexual community experience attraction to more than one gender.
The transgender flag, also called the transgender pride flag, is used by people, organizations and communities to represent pride, diversity, rights and/or remembrance within the transgender community. Its usage is similar to the original rainbow flag but specific to the transgender community.
Celebrate Bisexuality Day is observed annually on September 23 to recognize and celebrate bisexual people, the bisexual community, and the history of bisexuality.
LGBT movements in the United States comprise an interwoven history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied social movements in the United States of America, beginning in the early 20th century. A commonly stated goal among these movements is social equality for LGBT people. Some have also focused on building LGBT communities or worked towards liberation for the broader society from biphobia, homophobia, and transphobia. LGBT movements organized today are made up of a wide range of political activism and cultural activity, including lobbying, street marches, social groups, media, art, and research. Sociologist Mary Bernstein writes: "For the lesbian and gay movement, then, cultural goals include challenging dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity, homophobia, and the primacy of the gendered heterosexual nuclear family (heteronormativity). Political goals include changing laws and policies in order to gain new rights, benefits, and protections from harm." Bernstein emphasizes that activists seek both types of goals in both the civil and political spheres.
A transgender person is someone whose gender identity differs from that typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. Some transgender people who desire medical assistance to transition from one sex to another identify as transsexual. Transgender is also an umbrella term; in addition to including people whose gender identity differs from the gender typically associated with their assigned sex at birth, it may also include people who are non-binary or genderqueer. Other definitions of transgender also include people who belong to a third gender, or else conceptualize transgender people as a third gender. The term may also include cross-dressers or drag kings and drag queens in some contexts. The term transgender does not have a universally accepted definition, including among researchers.
The transgender rights movement is a movement to promote the legal status of transgender people and to eliminate discrimination and violence against transgender people regarding housing, employment, public accommodations, education, and health care. A major goal of transgender activism is to allow changes to identification documents to conform with a person's current gender identity without the need for gender-affirming surgery or any medical requirements, which is known as gender self-identification. It is part of the broader LGBT rights movements.
This article addresses the history of transgender people in the United States from prior to Western contact until the present. There are a few historical accounts of transgender people that have been present in the land now known as the United States at least since the early 1600s. Before Western contact, some Native American tribes had third gender people whose social roles varied from tribe to tribe. People dressing and living differently from the gender roles typical of their sex assigned at birth and contributing to various aspects of American history and culture have been documented from the 17th century to the present day. In the 20th and 21st centuries, advances in gender-affirming surgery as well as transgender activism have influenced transgender life and the popular perception of transgender people in the United States.
International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring every March 31 since 2009 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society. The first International Transgender Day of Visibility was held on March 31, 2009. It has since been spearheaded by the U.S.-based youth advocacy organization Trans Student Educational Resources.
Eli Erlick is an American activist, writer, academic, trans woman and founder of the organization Trans Student Educational Resources.
Geena Rocero is a Filipino-born American model, TED speaker, and transgender advocate based in New York City. Rocero is the founder of Gender Proud, a media production company that tells stories of the transgender community worldwide to elevate justice and equality. Rocero has spoken about transgender rights at the United Nations Headquarters, the World Economic Forum, and the White House.
Trans Day of Action (TDOA) began in 2005 and is an annual rally and march held in late June in New York City. It is organized by the Audre Lorde Project's Trans Justice group. It aims "to call attention to the continued violence, discrimination and institutionalization of our people [Trans and Gender Non-Conforming people], while simultaneously lifting up and celebrating our legacy of resilience, organizing, and community building." While addressing issues that disproportionately impact trans and gender non-conforming people, TDOA is also meant to honor and contribute to the broader "struggle for justice, liberation, and recognition for all oppressed people worldwide."
Gwendolyn Smith is an American transgender woman from the San Francisco Bay Area who co-founded Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize people who have been killed as a result of transphobia. Trans/Active: A Biography of Gwendolyn Ann Smith is a biography about Smith published in July 2017.
Nancy Nangeroni is an American diversity educator and transgender community activist. She is a founder of GenderTalk Radio, the award-winning talk show about gender and transgender issues that was broadcast from 1995 to 2006 on WMBR in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nangeroni served as an executive director of the International Foundation for Gender Education and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition.
Rebekah Bruesehoff is an American LGBTQ rights activist, social media influencer, and author. As a child, Bruesehoff began attending protests with her mother; she became involved as a prominent supporter of transgender youth when many felt that the Donald Trump administration denied rights to trans students.
Chanelle Pickett was a Black transgender woman whose death helped inspire the creation of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.