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By Sam Bennison

Transgender visibility

History behind Transgender Day of Remembrance

Nov 20, 2023 | 11:56 AM

NORTHERN B.C.— Monday, November 20, is Transgender Day of Remeberance. An annual day that recognizes the lives lost due to violence from transphobia.

The first Transgender Day of Rememberance was first observed on November 20, 1999 to memorialize the murders of Rita Hester and Chenelle Picket.

According to the ministry for woman and Gender Equality, Transgender communities and in particular transgender people of colour, face some of the highest rates of violent crime- with 70% of trans youth in Canada experiencing some form of sexual harrassment or violence.

Transphobia also has an impact on youth mental health with trans and non-binary youth being twice as likely to have thoughts of self-harm in their lifetime compared to those who identify as cisgender (someone whose gender identity corresponds with their assigned birth sex).

“There is no place for transphobia in our province. We continue to speak up against hate and to support our transgender, gender-diverse, non-binary and Two-Spirit friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues,” said Premiere David Eby in a statement today. “All people deserve to live their lives knowing they are safe and loved. This is the British Columbia that we strive for and believe is possible.”

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Eby goes on to note that last year B.C. became the first province to amend provincial laws that removed gendered and binary language, and one of the first province to make it possible for people to get birth certificates without gender markers.

We were the first B.C. government to raise the transgender flag on the legislature lawn, and we do so again today in honour of those we’ve lost.

Premiere David Eby