Today (June 22nd, 2018) is the 14th annual Trans Day of Action, a day organized by TransJustice, a political subgroup of The Audre Lorde Project in New York City, to demand safe access in public and private spaces for trans and gender nonconforming folks and to honor all the victories made in the trans movement over the last year. The NYC event is happening today, 4pm-7pm at Christopher Street Pier (Pier 45 on Manhattan’s West Side).
- Trans Day of Action Is the Answer to Corporate, Passive Pride by Harron Walker with photos by Leah James, Vice
This march is a reminder that there is still so much work to be done for justice and equality for the LGBTQ community. It’s the perfect way to celebrate Pride month (as Pride was founded as a commemoration of a police riot) and it fights for trans and gender nonconforming folks while they’re still here, rather than mourning them after they die. Many issues that affect trans and gender nonconforming folks are addressed at the rally each year. Economic justice, affordable housing, health care, and freedom from police brutality are just some of the issues that affect the community on a daily basis.
Trans Day of Action has been happening every June since its start in 2005 and organizations like Women’s March, Stonewall Community Foundation, and Equality New York have endorsed this year’s event. The location in New York (the Christopher Street Pier) was intentionally chosen as a starting spot for the march, as it is a gathering spot for many LGBTQ young folks who don’t have many other spaces to openly be themselves.
- Today’s Trans Day of Action Celebrates the Resistance by Trans Women of Color by Wagatwe Wanjuki, DailyKos
Thousands of people show up for this event each year but if you are not able to march or want to learn more about the transgender and gender nonconforming community, there are many ways you can help and learn all year round. First, you can support organizations like The Audre Lorde Project in NYC, Casa Ruby in Washington DC, and the TGI Justice Project in the Bay Area, California. These organizations, and many others, work year round to make the world a better place for trans and gender nonconforming folks.
Second, you can advocate for economic justice, affordable housing, and truly accessible health care for all in your own town and state. These issues affect people of all identities, including many trans and gender nonconforming folks. Thirdly, if you aren’t trans or gender nonconforming, you can learn about trans and gender nonconforming folks, something that can lead you to become a better ally to the community. To start, organizations like GLAAD, Basic Rights Oregon, and The Trevor Project all have resources on gender identity!
These are just some of the many ways you can support trans and gender nonconforming folks today and throughout the year.