By: Taylor Murdick(she/they), W*SS WILD Intern
TW: Mentions of violence against transgender individuals and death
Monday, November 20th holds significance for many as it is the day to remember and honor the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost over the course of this year. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) was started in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender advocate, to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed due to anti-transgender violence. Today, TDoR highlights the horrific losses we face due to anti-transgender violence and hate (Transgender Day of Remembrance). Here at Michigan State University, Transgender Day of Remembrance has been planned and coordinated for the past couple of years by many student services offices, community organizations, and student organizations. At MSU’s TDoR, a program representing the lives of the people killed this year due to transgender violence was presented – taking time to honor every name and details about those who were killed and acknowledging those not listed in the program.
As a genderqueer person and a member of the Transgender Day of Remembrance planning committee, TDOR brings many heavy feelings of sadness, solidarity, and anger into my mind. We have lost so many beautiful souls over the course of this year due to hatred, bigotry, and the overall transphobic climate of this country. The deaths of this year due to anti-transgender violence weigh heavily on my heart and soul, however, it shows just how much this country needs to change. It is important for all of us to stand up against anti-transgender bigotry when safe and to support our transgender siblings as best as we can – as only we can start to bring the change that could save the lives of transgender people.
During Transgender Day of Remembrance and the days following, it is important to take care of each other and ourselves. Remember to give yourself time to grieve and heal. Be kind to each other and support our community. It is also important to remember that even if you are not trans and identify as cisgender, participating and acknowledging TDOR is just as important. Cisgendered people have privilege in our society and should use their power to advocate for transgender people during this time. With W*SS and Women*s Council sponsoring the Transgender Day of Remembrance here at MSU, we are reminded that the fight for transgender rights and lives is not just a single battle, but a battle we all need to fight in.
Reference: https://glaad.org/tdor/
Listed below will be resources for transgender individuals and the community within Michigan State University and the Lansing/East Lansing area.
SALUS Center (Lansing LGBTQIA+ Community Center): https://www.saluscenter.org/home
MSU Counseling & Psychiatric Crisis Services: CAPS Appointments & Cancellations: (517) 355-8270
Press “1” at the prompt to speak with a crisis counselor (CAPS is providing remote crisis services 24/7/365)
Other prompt options are available for those not in crisis.
The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC): 517-353-9529
Email: gscc@msu.edu
LGBTQ National Help Center Hotline: 1-888-234-7243
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 in the United States: CrisisTextLine.org
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860; TransLifeline.org/Hotline
TrevorLifeLine: Text the word START to 678678; Available 24/7
TrevorText: Text the word START to 678678; Available 24/7
TrevorChat: TrevorProject.org/get-help-now
LGBT National Youth Hotline: 800-246-7743: GLBTHotline.org
LGBT National Hotline: 888-843-4564
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
Support in Spanish: 1-888-628-9454
Support in English: 1-800-273-8255
24/7 Virtual Chat: SuicidePreventionLifeline.org/Chat
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Support: Dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255