November 20, The Transgender Day of Remembrance, is meant to honor the lives lost in acts of anti-transgender violence and to raise public awareness of the continued violence that transgender and gender nonconforming individuals face.
Transgender Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.
"Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people — sometimes in the most brutal ways possible — it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice." –Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Making our health centers a safe and supportive environment is valuable for all patients and we strive to make sure the gender identity of transgender people is acknowledged, respected, and understood. This means creating an environment that affirms their gender identity, understanding and communicating the kinds of care they need, and using inclusive language that acknowledges the full spectrum of gender identities.
Although transgender people continue to face oppression and violence, they are resilient, strong, and loving. Planned Parenthood is proud to stand with them, and we are committed to making our country a place where no one experiences discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or expression.
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