Photo credit: Alosh Bennett, Creative Commons
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed in late November in recognition of the 1998 murder of Rita Hester. Rita was a highly visible member of the transgender* community in her native Boston, where she worked locally on education around transgender issues. On Saturday, Nov 28, Rita was stabbed 20 times in her apartment. A neighbor called the police, and Rita was rushed to the hospital. She passed away from cardiac arrest only moments after being admitted. Sixteen years later, police have still not found Rita’s murderer (or murderers).
In 1999, one year after Rita’s murder, advocate and writer Gwendolyn Ann Smith coordinated a vigil in Rita’s honor. The vigil commemorated not only Rita, but all who were tragically lost to anti-transgender violence.” (Source)
Transgender Day of Remembrance Events in Vancouver
UBC Events
November 17-19, 2014
Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) information table from 11am-3pm on the SUB concourse.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
– 11am-4pm – SASC will be holding a memorial tabling vigil
– 3pm-4.30pm – Pride Collective will be facilitating two workshop on the 20th on Allieship and Intra Trans* Solidarity.
– 5pm – Pride Collective and SASC will be holding a joint memorial at in the SUB Art Gallery space
Vancouver Event
Memorializing our murdered trans* family.
– Short documentaries
– Open mic & speakers
– Candlelight vigil
Thursday, November 20, 2014
7-9:30pm
Carnegie Community Centre (401 Main Street), Theatre room (main floor, to the left of reception, in the back),
For any questions and accessibility requests please email vantdor@gmail.com or message below.
Transgender Day of Remembrance website Facebook page
Transgender Day of Remembrance Website
Transgender Day of Remembrance Events in the Okanagan
Download Okanagan events poster
Kelowna event
Candle ceremony, screening of two short films (Transmormon (2013) and “BOY” (2014)), followed by a discussion.
Wednesday November 19, 2014
7:00pm-9:00pm
Streaming Cafe, 596 Leon Ave. Kelowna
Presented by the Equity and Inclusion Office and Okanagan Pride Society
UBC Okanagan
Candle ceremony, information tables and discussion
Thursday, November 20, 2014
1:30-3:30pm
ARTS foyer
Presented by the Equity and Inclusion Office, Sexual Assault and Rape Awareness, and UBCSUO Pride Centre.
Two Spirit Awareness Raising Event
Film Screening and Discussion – Two Spirits (2009)
Friday, November 21, 2014
6:00-8:30pm
UBCSUO Theatre UNC 106 – Refreshments will be provided.
Brought to you by the ARTH 323/CULT 320 Two Spirit Awareness Group, Indigenous Students Association and the Equity and Inclusion Office.
For more information contact: equity.ubco@ubc.ca #TDOR #TDORkelowna
Canadian Facts and Figures
Egale’s Every Class in Every School report indicated clearly that trans* students experienced high levels of unsafety and harassment in classrooms and hallways:
• 78% of trans* students felt unsafe at school, with 44% having missed school because of these feelings;
• 74% of trans* students have been verbally harassed because of their gender expression;
• 49% of trans* students have been sexually harassed in school within the past year; and
• 37% of trans* students have been physically harassed or assaulted because of their gender expression.
Experiences in elementary and secondary schools reveal only a fraction of the challenges facing many trans people in Canada. Access to housing, employment, education and appropriate medical care are but a few of the major areas in which trans people are much more likely to face both individual acts of discrimination, as well as systemic exclusion and invisibility. (From http://egale.ca/all/trans-day-of-remembrance-3/)
In this article transgender was abbreviated to trans* to include transgender, transsexual, and trans-identified.