Every year, Transgender Day of Remembrance honours the memory of transgender people who have lost their lives through transphobic violence. We light a candle, we say their names, we honour and remember them.
Transgender Day of Remembrance began in the USA on November 20 in 1999 to honour the memory of Rita Hester – a transgender woman of colour who was killed in Boston in 1998.
The vigil has grown each year and now resonates across the globe, empowering and uniting the LGBTQI+ communities to bring urgent attention to the plight of trans and gender diverse people.
This year we have the opportunity to create an online event that will be seen across the globe. Curated by Bhenji Ra and featuring BIPOC transgender and gender-diverse performers, activists, and artists (including The Legendary House of Slé, The House of Alexander and New Zealand’s House of Iman, The Curtis Sisters, Star Ah Mer Ah Su, Writer & Poet Jaya Jacob and Digg Franco), the event will be a stunning commemoration of the enduring legacy of our friends and family we have lost.
Transgender Day of Remembrance 2020 is hosted by the Gender Centre in partnership with City of Sydney, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, SWOP, ICLC and Amazon.
Live broadcast begins on Facebook at the following times on Friday 20 November: Canberra / Hobart / Melbourne / Sydney: 7.00pm (AEST); Brisbane: 6.00pm; New Zealand: 9.00pm; Perth / Hong Kong: 4.00pm; and United Kingdom: 8.00am.
We invite you to watch at home, light a candle (real or digital) and reflect with us on the friends and family we have lost.
Image: Transgender Day of Remembrance