Trans

On Trans Day of Remembrance, we honor those taken from our communities, we celebrate their lives, and we root ourselves in our collective resilience.

Our community is incredibly strong. In the face of systemic violence, trans people continue to survive and thrive. We support and celebrate each other while working hard to achieve our dreams.

Our new Remembrance Report centers the humanity and individuality of trans people whose lives were stolen by violence. Whenever possible, we’ve included snapshots of their lives, often shared by their loved ones.

In Texas, DeeDee Hall was a 37-year-old Black trans woman whose family described her as “always helping people” and full of life.” In Vermont, 29-year-old Fern Feather - who used both she/her and they/them pronouns - worked at a farm-to-table café. She was a white trans woman who always wore a wildflower in their hair.

Stories like these show trans people as unique and worthy human beings. In particular, we honor the memory of Black trans women like Keshia Chanel Geter, who was a dedicated advocate for the LGBTQ community in her home state of South Carolina. Only 26 years old, her loved ones said she “inspired people everywhere she went” and “touched the lives of many.”

Since last November, we know of 47 transgender people whose lives were taken from us. 38 of those individuals – each of them a person with inherent human dignity – were lost since the start of 2022.

Unfortunately, data on violence in our community is often underreported, difficult to capture, and fails to represent the fullness of our humanity. Trans people are frequently deadnamed, or misidentified, by law enforcement. Within our community, we also know that trans women of color, and especially Black trans women, face an alarming and unacceptable amount of violence. Trans women made up 85% percent of those taken from us, and 70% of those trans women were Black.

State governments and extremist politicians across the country are attempting to weaponize disinformation and persecute trans people and our families. We have a political climate that has exploded with anti-trans legislation, policy, and rhetoric. In the leadup to last week’s election, extremists spread lies about trans people, denigrating our community and stoking fear in people who simply don’t understand what it means to be trans.

These actions contribute to a deeply unsafe environment for trans people and their families – some of whom have had to flee their home states just to get the medical care they need. Over 25% of the trans people we lost to violence were located in Texas and Florida – two states which saw dozens of anti-trans legislative and administrative actions. Even hospitals where trans people access gender-affirming care have received serious threats, and violence against trans people overall has increased in recent years.

No one should have to fear violence or mourn lost loved ones.

We honor the loved ones we’ve lost to violence and celebrate those who are still here. We speak up loudly about the disparities we face in hopes that others will see and understand. We lift up the voices of the most marginalized in our community, understanding that together, we will all rise.

No matter what, trans people across the nation deserve to live safe, healthy, and authentic lives.

Trans people are vital parts of our communities. The trans experience is about far more than violence and statistics. We are brilliant, we are beautiful, and we are full of joy. Our lives have meaning. We matter.