Life

How To Show Support This Trans Visibility Day & Always

From educating those around you to donating your time and money.

Transgender Day Of Visibility 2022.
UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Let's make March 31, the thirteenth annual Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an experience that transcends the disappointment of recent developments in harmful, anti-trans legislature by bringing attention to the accomplishments of trans people around the globe while fighting cissexism and transphobia. According to the LGBT Foundation, the theme of this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility is, #IAmEnough — meaning that today (and every day) is a day to celebrate the trans community just as they are.

Transgender Day of Visibility was created in 2009 by Rachel Crandall — a Michigan-based psychotherapist and head of Transgender Michigan. In a 2021 essay for them., Crandall spoke on the importance of recognizing the “double-edged sword” that visibility can pose.

“I read an article once by a prominent activist who said that it’s not transgender people who need to be visible right now, so much as our allies,” Crandall writes, “It’s easy to call yourself an ally. However, to really get out there for us, speak up for us, to write letters and educate your friends — that is something else. And that’s what we really need to focus on.”

Many trans activists have also echoed this need to match visibility with action. This year, activists Raquel Willis and Chase Strangio launched the Trans Week of Visibility and Action — created with the mission of encouraging prolonged and action-based efforts against anti-trans legislature.

Whether you’re a part of the trans community or an ally, here are some ways to honor Crandall’s mission and show up for the trans community on this Transgender Day of Visibility.

1

Respect People’s Pronouns

Respecting people’s pronouns is an essential part of being an ally. In fact, a Canadian court ruled in 2021 that the act of misgendering someone qualifies as a human rights violation.

Beyond honoring someone’s pronouns, you can take simple steps to make others feel safer to share theirs. Adding pronouns to your social media bios and clarifying your pronouns in conversation are great ways to normalize dialogue around pronouns.

Another important step is educating yourself about the use of neopronouns, which can offer a way for people to find pronouns that better align with their identity.

2

Elevate Organizations That Promote Trans Equality

Redistribute funds toward organizations that support trans rights, and/or find ways to actively support or volunteer with them. Here are 12 organizations doing great work right now to support the trans community.

  1. Trans Student Educational Resources is a youth-led organization dedicated to transforming educational environments for trans and gender nonconforming students through advocacy and empowerment.
  2. The National Center for Transgender Equality, the nation’s leading social justice advocacy organization for transgender people, works at the local, state, and federal levels to change laws, policies, and society.
  3. The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending gender identity discrimination, and seeks to achieve equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, and public policy effort.
  4. Trans Lifeline, a nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of transgender people, is a hotline staffed by transgender people for transgender people.
  5. The Transgender Law Center is committed to changing laws, policies, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.
  6. The Trevor Project is a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ teens and young adults.
  7. GLSEN (pronounced "glisten") is a national organization committed to ensuring safe schools for all LGBTQ+ students.
  8. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project works to guarantee freedom for all people to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence.
  9. The TransWomen of Color Collective supports the narratives, lived experiences, and leadership of trans and gender non-conforming people of color, and their families and friends, as they work toward collective liberation for all oppressed people.
  10. Gender Spectrum creates gender sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens by providing help to families, organizations, and institutions to increase understandings of gender.
  11. ActBlue has aggregated a list of Black Trans organizations which you can redistribute funds towards collectively, or individually. Some of the groups listed include Black & Pink, a prison abolitionist organization focused upon the liberation of LGBTQ+ people and those affected by HIV/AIDS, and For the Gworls, an organization that continually raises funds for the Black trans people to cover costs like gender-affirming surgery, rent, and travel.
  12. The Protect and Defend Trans Youth Fund is another great resource for distributing funds to a list of organizations providing direct support to trans youth. Ariana Grande created the fund with Pledge, and is currently matching all donations of up to $1.5 million.

3

Educate Yourself

Knowledge is power, and today is the perfect day to educate yourself about trans issues. If you're reluctant to participate in TDOV because you feel like you don't know enough, the National Center for Transgender Equality has a resource guide you can download to learn more. BookRiot has also aggregated a list of books about transgender history, and there are plenty of educational documentaries like Disclosure to learn more about transgender history.

Another great way to remain informed is to follow trans activists and creators.

4

Share Resources

TDOV is a day to celebrate the trans community and spread awareness about the unique challenges these individuals face. Showing your support on social media — especially through sharing educational resources, boosting petitions, and highlighting organizations to support — is a great way to encourage others to get involved.

Trans Week of Visibility and Action (TWOVA) has compiled a week’s worth of daily actions you can take to tangibly support the trans community — and has an entire social media toolkit for mobilizing others to take actions. Sharing TWOVA’s various resources and efforts it a great way to get others involved alongside you.

5

Find Tangible Ways to Support Trans Youth

Now more than ever, ensuring the safety and freedom of transgender youth is paramount. The Trevor Project has a great guide for being an ally to transgender and nonbinary youth. Another great way to take action is by referring to TransAthlete.com’s list of state-by-state actions to ensure the trans community’s right to participate in sports.

Ariana Grande has also created a fund to raise money for various organizations working to protect trans youth called the Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund. Grande is matching all donations up to $1.5 million.

6

Go To TDOV Events

If there is a TDOV event near you, show up in person to give your support. To find an event you can simply search on Facebook for TDOV events near you. If you can't be there in person, there are plenty of virtual events to join as well.

7

Recognize the Intersections of Being Trans And Other Identities

Being intersectional means embracing race, sexuality, class, disability, citizenship, etc. Some ways to transform this acknowledgment into action including educating oneself about transgender people of color throughout history and finding ways to center and support the efforts of transgender people of color.

As Ryann Holmes, TGNCI narrative power builder of the Movement for Black Lives, wrote in a Medium post for TDOV 2022, “To center Black trans women and femmes means to call for the end of profiling and criminalization, police and prison violence that they face — to defund and dismantle these harmful systems and to build up systems of safety and protection in their place.”

8

Hold People Accountable When They Make Transphobic Or Cissexist Comments

Sometimes being silent can be the same as being complicit. This TDOV (and every day), let people know when they have said something that is offensive, because holding each other accountable is a vital part of advancing trans rights.