Transgender Day of Visibility is recognized annually to celebrate the accomplishments of transgender and gender non-conforming people while raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide.
Transgender Day of Visibility was created by Rachel Crandall as a response to the overwhelming recognition that trans lives in the media were almost solely focused on violence committed against them. Trans Day of Visibility now serves as a way to highlight trans people in a way that doesn’t focus on the violence committed against them but is still mindful of the fact that not all trans people are comfortable with living their lives out in the open because of it. GLAAD and the White House have more information to share about the Trans Day of Visibility.
Elon first celebrated Trans Day of Visibility in March 2022. The Gender & LGBTQIA Center (GLC) celebrated by handing out self-care bags in the Gender and Sexuality LLC and with trans-themed cupcakes.
This year for Trans Day of Visibility at Elon, the GLC will host their official celebration on Wednesday, April 3, at 5:30 p.m. in upstairs Lakeside. Sowjanya Kudva, assistant professor of cinema and television arts, will host a speech reflecting on the importance of the day. A collaborative art project to celebrate and uplift trans individuals in the community and the world will follow.
“Trans Day of Visibility is hosted every year as a way to highlight and celebrate the fact that our trans students on this campus exist,” said Vanessa Truelove G’24, a . “We know they are here, and we want to provide a space for them to feel the recognition, honor, and belonging that cisgendered students receive every day.”
The GLC hopes to make a yearly tradition with a Trans Day of Visibility event for the Elon community.