Vigil in Thunder Bay to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance
Event to raise awareness about violence and discrimination transgender community face
Candles will be lit and the names of the victims of violence will be called out, at a vigil in Thunder Bay on Friday, to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The day of commemoration began in 1999 after the death of Rita Hester, a transgender woman in the United States.
Since then, communities around the world have set aside the 20th of November to memorialize people in the transgender community who have lost their lives to violence.
Pride Central and the Lakehead University student union have been hosting a remembrance event for the last four years.
Heather Uchman the coordinator with Pride Central, says there's a population of transgender students on campus who feel passionately about the day of remembrance.
"We do this because it's one of those events that brings a lot of awareness. It's important to talk about these issues."
Discrimination is one of those issues the transgender community faces said Uchman. She recounted the story of one woman who had to endure nasty comments, whispering and laughing.
Uchman says the Transgender Day is being marked in Thunder Bay with a series of guest speakers who will talk about their own experiences.
As part of the ceremony, candles will be lit and the names of transgender people who died at the hands of violence internationally, will be called out.
An event like this is important said Uchman, to make people aware of the reality of life for the transgender community.
"There's a need to know the death of trans folk often aren't publicized and their murders go unsolved."
The Transgender Day of Remembrance and Vigil takes place on Friday from 6 p.m to 9 p.m. at the Bora Laskin Faculty.of Law in the PACI building.