If you’re a transgender individual, or if you’re dating a trans person, you may be wondering how you should celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV). Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Today, we’ll give you 5 ways you can celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility, but first, we’ll talk about the history of TDOV so you can better understand the importance of this day and how you should celebrate it.
History of Transgender Day of Visibility
Prior to 2009, there was no day to specifically celebrate transgender individuals. Up to this point, there was only Transgender Day of Remembrance which was a day to remember and mourn the murders of transgender individuals.
On March 31st, 2009, Rachel Crandell, a transgender activist, founded Transgender Day of Visibility to celebrate the lives of transgender individuals. By 2014, this day was celebrated across the world and in several countries including Scotland and Ireland. In 2021, American President Joe Biden officially declared March 31st Transgender Day of Visibility.
This was a large victory for transgender individuals because it gave them a day to celebrate being trans, something that the trans community had not had up to this point. Historically, transgender people have been erased and their transness has not be recognized, let alone celebrated. Having a day to be a loud and proud transgender person is vital and exciting for these individuals.
How to Celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility
Now that you understand the history of the day a bit better, and you have an idea of how important this day is for many trans people, let’s talk about how you can celebrate it! On such an important day, you need to make sure you take the time to celebrate with trans people in your life, but it can be difficult to know exactly how to celebrate this important occasion. Whether you’re transgender yourself or you have a trans person that’s important to you, we’re giving you our top 5 ideas for how to celebrate this day.
1. Go to Transgender Day of Visibility Events
Search your local area for events that celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility and plan time to be there! If there are no events in your local area, you can take a fun weekend trip to a city near you that has them. Many of these events are similar to pride parades and are safe spaces that allow transgender people to celebrate their existence together and bond over their similarities. Coming together with other trans folks can be extremely empowering and is an experience that all trans people should get to have.
If you’re a transgender person, spending this day with other trans people can be one of the best ways to celebrate and meet other people who understand the struggles you might be going through. If you have a trans person in your life that you want to support, try to find an event like this near you and allow them the space and opportunity to spend time with other trans people.
2. Educate Yourself About Transgender History
Transgender Day of Visibility is a day to celebrate the existence of trans people. There have been many transgender people throughout history, but due to prejudice, many times their stories are not told. By learning about these amazing people, we remember them the way they wanted to be remembered and honor the lives that they lived. Find some books on transgender people throughout history, or listen to a podcast or Ted Talk that discusses them.
Don’t just educate yourself about these amazing individuals, take some time to educate other people as well. Sharing their stories is a great way to spread trans visibility and to help other people see that being trans is not a new phenomenon, they have been present all throughout history. On a day like this, it’s important to recognize the people who came before us and allowed our generation to have a day like this to celebrate publicly.
3. Support Trans-Owned Businesses and Organizations
TDOV is a great opportunity to support trans people in your area, and one of the best ways to do that is to support businesses owned by trans individuals. If you don’t have trans-owned businesses near you, you can always shop online and support businesses that way.
If you shopped at a trans-owned business and enjoyed your experience, be sure to share your experience with others and leave a positive review! You should also consider donating to a transgender organization. There are many reputable transgender organizations and non-profits that are great options to donate to. Do some research and find an organization you want to support on Transgender Day of Visibility!
If you are unable to support a trans-owned business or organization monetarily, don’t worry! You can still give these businesses and organizations recognition by publicizing them. You can make a post on social media highlighting what a great brand they are and give them some publicity. This is a great way to support organizations and businesses if you are unable to give monetarily!
4. Learn About the Barriers Transgender People Face
There are many things that transgender folks face on a daily basis that makes their life difficult. Trans people face discrimination in many areas of their life. They can experience discrimination in their workplace, home life, and in the general public. They may have difficulty making friends or finding romantic relationships. Trans folks have to decide every day whether or not they want to be passing (when people assume that they are cisgender and not transgender) or if they want to come out as trans to certain people.
There are other areas in which trans folks can be discriminated against such as with healthcare, in the military, at school, and in sports. There are thousands of issues that trans individuals face that cisgender people may never know about. Take the time to learn about some of these issues and make sure that you are being an ally in every area possible.
5. Speak Out About Transgender Day of Visibility
Since this is the day of visibility for transgender people, speaking out and making your voice heard on this day is important. Make social media posts, wear a t-shirt that supports Transgender Day of Visibility, and wish your trans friends a happy Transgender Day of Visibility!
If you are a transgender person who is out publicly, take this day to be loud and proud about being trans. This day is for you, so celebrate yourself! For years, transgender individuals have been unable to celebrate their transness which is why you should take advantage of the freedom we have today to celebrate being trans to the fullest.
Conclusion
Today we talked about the history of Transgender Day of Visibility and why it is so important for trans people. Next, we gave you 5 recommendations for how to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility and answered some FAQs you may have. We also gave you some tips for where to meet transgender people, and we gave you some information about our site that helps connect decent men with transwomen. We hope you feel a bit more prepared for TDOV this year and are excited to celebrate!
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Transgender Day of Visibility FAQs
Is there anything we should NOT do on Transgender Day of Visibility?
You should never use Transgender Day of Visibility as an excuse to out someone. Coming out can be a fun, exciting experience that every queer person should get to have on their own terms. Some people are not able to safely come out at this point in their life, and if you out them, you can put them in a dangerous situation. Every queer person should get to decide when and how they come out, and it is never your place to take that decision away from someone else. Be careful on Transgender Day of Visibility and make sure that you are being respectful and mindful of other people’s privacy.
Where Can I Meet Transgender People?
Transgender people are everywhere around you! You never know who around you might be transgender, so it is never a good idea to presume that someone is cisgender. If you’re looking for places to find new transgender individuals, you might try hanging out at gay bars or clubs, or supporting queer-friendly business that have many queer customers.
If you’re struggling to meet new trans people, or if you’re looking for a romantic connection, check out our website My Transgender Cupid. We are an online dating site that helps connect decent men with transwomen. If this is the kind of relationship you are looking for, download our app and make a profile! You can also check out our blog and dating tips to help you learn more about us!