Published on Nov. 15, 2022

Across the country, Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week is meant to help raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people. At Mizzou, we celebrate Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week to empower transgender individuals on campus while still raising awareness for the issues these communities face.

Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week is November 13-19, 2022.

Let’s talk about Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week  

This year, the LGBTQ Resource Center is celebrating Transgender Awareness Week by sharing its history. The who, what and why that make this week important.  

What is Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week? 

Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week helps shed light on the issues faced by transgender people such as violence and discrimination that affect the transgender community. 

Why Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week is important. 

According to glaad.org, at least 45 transgender people were killed in hate crimes in 2021 making it the deadliest year recorded for transgender violence. This week gives a voice to those who have been affected by — and who have experienced — the acts of prejudice, violence and discrimination that affect the transgender community daily.  

Transgender Day of Remembrance  

Transgender Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 by advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil honored all the transgender people who were lost to violence that year. Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed every year on November 20, and it has become an important facet to Transgender Awareness Week. 

Join the LGBTQ Resource Center for a transgender remembrance vigil 

Every year, the LGBTQ Resource Center hosts a vigil to honor those whose lives have been lost in the past year due to transphobic violence. The center works closely with Oasis, our transgender and non-binary student organization, to plan this very important event. We come together to share and honor stories of people’s lives and open the floor for people to share their own stories and thoughts.  

Celebrate trans changemakers 

Celebrating changemakers: Stories from the transgender and gender non-conforming community in 2022 – Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) 

Become a better ally: Do your research and ask questions. It is perfectly okay to not know all the answers; we’ve got your back. Here are some resources to make you a better ally.  

1. Transgender and non-binary people FAQ – Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) 
2. Trans Talks: Featuring queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race – Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) 
3. Resources – Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org) 
4. Transgender Day of Remembrance – GLAAD 

Support Trans artists, movies and TV shows, local shops, and Transgender athletes. We are starting to see more representation in the media, below are some artists, tv shows/movies to start your support. 

TV Shows 

1. Pose: Netflix 
2. Sense8: Netflix 
3. Orange Is The New Black: Netflix 
4. The Owl House: Disney Plus 

Artists 

1. SOPHIE, Singer-Songwriter 
2. Kim Petras, Singer-Songwriter 
3. Shea Diamond, Singer-Songwriter 
4. Ah-Mer-Ah-Su, Singer-Songwriter 
5. For more information on artists: Transgender and Non-Binary Artists You Should Be Listening To (electronicbeats.net) 

Lastly, reach out to our friends, family members, co-workers who identify as Trans and Non-Binary. Your support and love matters. Happy Transgender Empowerment and Awareness Week!