By Student Affairs
Thursday, 07 15 2021

Texas A&M University-San Antonio hosted its third annual community Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 19. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. 

Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of those murdered in acts of anti-transgender violence, is recognized annually on November 20 in recognition of the 1998 murder of Rita Hester. Rita was a highly visible member of the transgender* community in her native Boston, MA, where she worked locally on education around transgender issues. On Saturday, November 28, Rita was stabbed 20 times in her apartment. A neighbor called the police, and Rita was rushed to the hospital. She passed away from cardiac arrest only moments after being admitted. Almost two decades later, police still have not found Rita's murderer (or murderers). In 1999, one year after Rita's murder, advocate and writer Gwendolyn Ann Smith coordinated a vigil in Rita's honor. The vigil commemorated not only Rita but all who were tragically lost to anti-transgender violence. 

After opening remarks from Dr. Matson, Gideon Del Rio shared his perspective from a transmasculine, nonbinary-leaning experience as this year's guest speaker. Del Rio serves as a Youth Facilitator for Fiesta Youth and is President of the San Antonio Gender Association. After the names of those lost were read by faculty and staff. 

Some of these cases involve clear anti-transgender bias. In others, the victim's transgender or gender non-conforming status may have put them at risk in other ways, such as forcing them into unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and/or survival sex work. While the details of these cases differ, it is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender women of color -- mainly Black transgender women.

HRC Foundation's "Dismantling a Culture of Violence" report demonstrates how anti-transgender stigma, denial of opportunity, and increased risk factors compound to create a culture of violence. It provides straightforward ways to directly impact our society into a safer place for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

 

Names Read for TDOR as of November 19, 2021:

• Yunieski Carey Herrera, a 39-year-old Latina Trans woman from Miami
• Scottlyn Kelly DeVore, a 51-year-old white gender non-conforming person from Augusta, Georgia
• Lea Rayshon Daye, a 28-year-old black trans woman from Cleveland, Ohio.
• Tyianna Alexander, a 28-year-old Black trans woman from Chicago
• Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, A 21 year old Latino trans man from Tujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
• Bianca "Muffin" Bankz, a black trans woman in her early 30s from Atlanta, Georgia
• Dominique Jackson, a 30-year-old black trans woman from Jackson, Mississippi
• Fifty Bandz, a 21-year-old black trans woman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Alexus Braxton, also known as Kimmy Icon Braxton, a 45-year-old black trans woman from Miami, Florida.
• Chyna Carrillo, a 25-year-old Latina trans woman from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
• Siblings Jeffrey "JJ" Bright, a 16-year-old trans boy, and his sibling Jasmine Cannady, a 22-year-old non-binary person, both from Ambridge, Pennsylvania
• Jenna Franks, a 34-year-old white trans woman from Jacksonville, North Carolina.
• Diamond Kyree Sanders, a 23-year-old black trans woman from Cincinnati, Ohio
• Rayanna Pardo, a 26-year-old Latina trans woman from Los Angeles
• Jaida Peterson, a 29-year-old black trans woman from Charlotte, North Carolina
• Dominique Lucious. A 26-year-old black trans woman from Springfield, Missouri
• Remy Fennell, a black trans woman in her 20s in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Tiara Banks, a 24-year-old black trans woman from Chicago, Illinois
• Natalia Smut, a 24-year-old black and Puerto Rican trans woman living in California
• Iris Santos, a 22-year-old Latina trans woman from Houston, Texas
• Tiffany Thomas, a 38-year-old black trans woman from Dallas, Texas
• Keri Washington, a 49-year-old black trans woman in Clearwater, Florida.
• Jahaira DeAlto, a 42-year-old trans woman of color from Boston, Massachusetts.
• Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old Indigenous non-binary person in York, Pennsylvania.
• Sophie Vasquez, a 36-year-old Latina trans woman from the Atlanta area.
• Danika "Danny" Henson, a 31-year-old black trans woman from Baltimore, Maryland.
• Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old black trans woman from Albany, Georgia.
• Oliver "Ollie" Taylor, a 17-year-old white trans boy from Gervais, Oregon.
• Thomas Hardin, a 35-year-old Black trans woman.
• Poe Black, a 21-year-old trans man in Niland, California.
• EJ Boykin, a 23-year-old black trans man in Lynchburg, Virginia.
• Aidelen Evans, a 24-year-old black trans woman in Port Arthur, Texas.
• Taya Ashton, a 20-year-old Black trans woman in Suitland, Prince George's County, Maryland
• Shai Vanderpump, a 23-year-old Black trans woman in Trenton, New Jersey
• Tierramarie Lewis, a 36-year-old Black transgender woman in Cleveland, Ohio
• Miss CoCo Chanel Wortham, a 44-year-old trans woman of color in Dallas, Texas
• Pooh Johnson, a 25- year-old Black trans woman in Shreveport, Louisiana
• Disaya Monaee, a 32-year-old Black transgender woman in Chicago, Illinois
• Briana Hamilton was a 25-year-old Black transgender woman in Chicago, Illinois
• Kiér Laprí Kartier, a 21-year-old Black transgender woman in Arlington, Texas
• Mel Groves, a 25-year-old Black trans man in Jackson, Mississippi
• Royal Poetical Starz, a 26-year-old Black trans woman from Miami Gardens Florida
• Zoella "Zoey" Rose Martinez, a 20-year-old Latina trans woman from Maple Valley, Washington
• Jo Acker, a 26-year-old white transgender woman in Boise, Idaho
• Jessi Hart, a 42-year-old white transgender woman in Banks, Oregon
• Rikkey Outumuro, a.k.a. Tru Starlet, was a 39-year-old Latina transgender woman in Centralia, Washington
• Marquiisha Lawrence, a 28-year-old Black trans woman in South Carolina
• Jenny De Leon was a 25-year-old Latina transgender woman from Tampa, Florida
• Angel Naira, a 36-year-old black trans woman from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

 

On November 20, President Biden released a statement recognizing the record number of deaths and mourning those who lost their lives — and calling on lawmakers to oppose anti-trans bills that aim to restrict trans minors' access to sports and gender-affirming care. "Transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But no person should have to be brave just to live in safety and dignity," Biden said.

Students wishing to know more about events like this can join or follow the LGBTQA Coalition at Texas A&M-San Antonio. The LGBTQA Coalition is a University-recognized student organization that aims to support all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals and in surrounding communities. It hosts educational events and creates opportunities for welcoming, safe, and supportive social gatherings for LGBTQA students with the hope of minimizing the fear of harassment or exposure to prejudice.

Faculty or Staff members looking to provide a safe space for students and educate on LGBTQ+ issues can attend a Safe Space Program. This program seeks to make Texas A&M University-San Antonio a more welcoming, safe, and inclusive campus for LGBTQ+ individuals, a term that includes but is not limited to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer individuals. 

Anyone wanting to learn more about Transgender Day of Remembrance can visit GLAADS Transgender Info page at: https://www.glaad.org/transgender. 

 

*Find more information about terminology and identification in the Transgender section of GLAAD's Media Reference Guide.