Trans Day of Remembrance

Eli Styles | November 20, 2023


On Nov. 20 of each year, people gather all across the globe to honor the lives of transgender people lost to transphobic violence. This day is commonly referred to as Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) and is most often recognized through candlelight vigils and reading out the names of those who have passed.

The day is preceded by Transgender Awareness Week which takes place from Nov. 13-19. The week serves as an opportunity for further transgender visibility and awareness of the issues that trans people face. 

TDOR is used to create space for the continued respect and remembrance of transgender people who have been the victims of violent crimes. It is important to note that the majority of these crimes were committed against transgender women of color. The combined discrimination that these women face makes them a target for racist, misogynistic and transphobic crimes. According to a 2017 report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 40% of hate violence homicide victims were trans women of color. This number has been steadily on the rise since 2014.

The day first took place in 1999 to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed the year before. Gwendolyn Ann Smith co-founded TDOR with Nancy Nangeroni and Jahaira DeAlto to bring awareness to the disproportionate amount of violence that trans people face. Smith also created a website called “Remembering Our Dead” that tracks trans homicides across the world.

In contrast to days such as Trans Day of Visibility — an annual event occurring on March 31 — TDOR is not a celebration so much as an observance. It is a day of community-wide mourning; a day of grief, processing and mutual pain over the irreplaceable losses the LGBTQ+ community has faced. 

So far in 2023, 334 trans lives have been lost to violence or suicide. But it must be stressed that these people are far more than a statistic. They are parents. They are friends. They are siblings. They are cousins. They are children. They are partners. They are loved ones. Not a single one of them deserved to have their lives ended due to the prejudice of others. 

“[We should] take the time to get to know the person rather than [play into] the complete dehumanization that happens when you look at just a range of statistics,” Felix Killingsworth, a first-year at Warren Wilson College (WWC), said. “Sure, statistics are all fine and good. But you also need to include the stories of actual people.”

The following are just a few of the many transgender people we lost too soon this year. The more grisly details have been withheld. 

KC Johnson, a white transgender woman from Wilmington, N.C., was found dead on Jan. 14, 2023. She was 27 years old. She was passionate about anime and manga and often talked about these interests online. She is survived by her partner, Bulla Brodzinski, who described Johnson as “the one she could open up to”. Say KC’s name today.

Tortuguita was a queer and nonbinary Indigenous Venezuelan environmental activist. They were shot and killed by police on Jan. 18, 2023, while protesting the building of “Cop City” in the Atlanta, Ga. area. Tortuguita was 26 years old. They were passionate about the forest and often went there to meditate, according to their mother. Say Tortuguita’s name today. 

Jacob Williamson, an 18-year-old trans man from Laurens, S.C., was found dead on the side of the road on July 4, 2023. He worked at Waffle House and loved to sing and draw. His friend and coworker, Promise Edwards, keeps his memory alive. Williamson had been living with Edwards for over a month before his death due to a lack of acceptance from his family. Say Jacob’s name today.

River Paige Olmstead was born in Matthews, N.C. in 2006. They ended their life on Oct. 16, 2023, at just 17 years old. Most of their life was spent in Lancaster, Pa., where they volunteered at Lydia’s Closet. They were a creative person who enjoyed reading, writing and music. They hoped to become a music therapist for children. Say River’s name today.

Shandon Floyd, a 20-year-old Black transgender woman, went missing on Nov. 8, 2023, and was found dead earlier this week in Columbia, S.C. Floyd was described by friends and family as a “fun, kindhearted and vivacious soul” who would “give you the shirt off her back.” She attended Mullins High School and was a hairstylist. Say Shandon’s name today.

Without the tireless — and, at many times, dangerous — work of trans people, the LGBTQ+ community would not have the rights that it does today. Trans women such as Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy were instrumental in the Stonewall uprising, along with Stormé DeLarverie, a drag king who allegedly threw the first punch at the Stonewall Inn.

“[Trans Day of Remembrance] means remembering how we got here,” Killingsworth said. “You can trace back [our freedom] to all the trans women that have died for it. Stonewall was started by a group of trans women of color. It’s the idea of thinking about where we’re going, and the ways we want our community to interact with the world and how we want to come together, and it’s really important to remember where we’ve been before.”

This year on TDOR, there are two events that you can attend to honor the lives of the transgender people we have lost this year.

Youth OUTright will be holding an altar at the New Belgium Brewery on 21 Craven St. in Asheville from 5-7:30 p.m. Candles will be lit to remember the fallen and attendees are encouraged to bring an offering for the altar as the names of trans people are read.

The Queer Resource Center (QRC) will be holding an altar in the Gladfelter atrium on Nov. 20 and can be viewed during lunchtime. Candles and flowers will be included. Poetry will be available alongside the names of trans people who have been lost to violence this year. 

Take the time on TDOR to remember what and who we have lost. Remember those who have fallen. Realize what transgender people have given to obtain the rights that the LGBTQ+ community has today, and think about how much work still needs to be done to protect the lives of the innocent. Prejudice has no place here — not at WWC, nor in the entirety of the world. 

If you or a loved one are transgender and are struggling with your mental health or situation, please utilize these resources. Your life matters. 

To learn more about the transgender people we have lost, attend a TDOR observance or visit these websites by the Human Rights Campaign, Remembering Our Dead or Trans Respect versus Transphobia.

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