By Krystal Drwencke–
Showing up, being seen, making connections, creating bonds. This is how small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, CEOs, students, and family members create lives, careers, and purpose.
We celebrated the Transgender Day of Visibility (or TDOV) on March 31, but honoring our transgender and non-binary community is important year-round. TDOV was founded in 2009 by Rachel Crandall, a Michigan-based transgender activist. It was started as a day of awareness to celebrate the successes of transgender and gender-nonconforming people.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is recognized on November 20th and was founded in 1999 as a way to memorialize the murder of a transgender woman, Rita Hester, in Allston, Massachusetts. Since then, it has slowly morphed into a day of action against transphobia.
How do we celebrate our transgender and non-binary communities?
Educate yourself.
Elevate and promote organizations that promote trans equality. Respect trans friendly pronouns and consider adding your pronouns to your Zoom name, social media profile, or email signature. Recognize intersectionality and that individuals may be grappling with and expressing different parts of not only their race and gender, but also class, sexuality, religion, disability, physical appearance, caste, and height.
Seek out people who are sharing their stories online.
Look up hashtags to hear people express themselves through #TransResistance, #TDOV, #TransDayOfVisibility, and #transrightshumanrights.
Celebrate recent wins.
As we have seen from the social movements that have been developing for decades and gained momentum in 2020, the space for recognition and value in our diversity can not only save lives, but also should be cause for celebration.
There is hope when the mouthpiece of our nation issues a formal presidential proclamation recognizing the TDOV, and when the Associated Press reports: “The Pentagon will sweep away Trump-era policies that largely banned transgender people from serving in the military, issuing new rules that offer them wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition.”
Remember that everyone may not be ready to share certain parts of their story, but be ready to listen when they are. Celebrate and love those willing to be seen and lift them up.
Krystal Drwencke is the Vice President of the Golden Gate Business Association. She is also the founder of Ascent Sports Chiropractic: http://www.ascentsportschiro.com/
Published on April 8, 2021
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