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“With all the hatred in the world, allies need to stand up and show up for transgender people.” — Bert Blundon, Secretary-Treasurer
Ottawa (March 31, 2022) — First celebrated in 2009, Transgender Day of Visibility was created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker to celebrate and empower transgender people. In 2021, US President Joe Biden officially proclaimed March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility and encouraged all Americans to “join in the fight for full equality for all transgender people” (the White House).
The National Union of Public and General Employees encourages all members to participate in Transgender Day of Visibility events in their communities or virtually.
Transgender rights under attack
The fight for equal rights for transgender people and gender-expansive people is far from over. In recent years, many US states have tabled and implemented anti-transgender legislation. Examples include banning transgender women and girls from competing in sports, denying minors access to gender affirming treatments (such as reversible puberty blockers) and counseling, and parents losing custody of their transgender children.
Internationally, some celebrities and social media influencers have posted anti-transgender rhetoric. Author J.K. Rowling’s Twitter content has become increasingly anti-transgender. She has been accused multiple times of selectively boosting replies to her tweets that agree with her position, despite the overwhelming majority of replies telling her she’s harming the transgender community.
Transgender Day of Visibility a time to show support
Canada is not immune to the rising wave of anti-transgender rhetoric. The far-right People’s Party of Canada has a page on their website with a pledge to fight “radical gender ideology.”
“Transgender Day of Visibility is a time to celebrate the transgender people in our lives,” said NUPGE’s President, Larry Brown. “It’s also a time for allies to continue to learn about how best to support transgender and gender-expansive people.”
“With all the hatred in the world, allies need to stand up and show up for transgender people,” said NUPGE’s Secretary-Treasurer, Bert Blundon. “We cannot allow anti-transgender ideologies to gain traction in Canada.”
Ample educational resources available
There are many resources available to available to learn more about transgender history, terminology, and statistics. Trans Student Educational Resources has produced many easy-to-share graphics, including The Gender Unicorn, which is widely acknowledged as a great starting resource.
Based in Canada, Egale also has numerous resources on pronouns, inclusive language, sharing transgender experiences, workshops, and training. Queer Events also has some history resources, as well as a timeline of milestones in equal rights in Canada’s history.