LGBTQ organizations and religious congregations across the country are marking Transgender Day of Remembrance with vigils and other events to honor trans people who lost their lives this year.
Founded in 1999 by trans activists Gwendolynn Ann Smith, the first day of remembrance began as a vigil to commemorate the one year anniversary of the murder of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was killed in Boston. Since then, the day has grown into a national and international event to honor the memory of trans people who have been murdered, and to spotlight anti-trans violence.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is Nov. 20.
The Human Rights Campaign on Tuesday released its annual report documenting fatal violence against trans and gender-expansive people.
The report found at least 36 trans and gender-expansive people in the U.S. lost their lives to violence since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance. The true number is likely higher, the report noted, as some deaths go unreported or misreported.
Most of the victims were young and people of color, with Black trans women accounting for half of the lives lost.
Tori Cooper, the director of community engagement for the HRC’s Trans Justice Initiative, described the disproportionately high rates of violence against Black trans women as “a disturbing reality that reflects the trend of violence that continues to plague our community which disproportionately faces racism, misogynoir, sexism, transphobia, and a myriad of other societal issues.”
Advocates for Trans Equality, a trans advocacy group, published its own report on Monday, documenting at least 43 trans people lost to violence since November 2023. Another 24 died by suicide.
Olivia Hunt, director of federal policy at Advocates for Trans Equality, said in a statement accompanying the report’s release that it “honors the memory of those lost and spotlights the urgent need for change to protect those still with us.”
“Despite hopeful strides in healthcare, identity
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