On March 31st, 2019, the Oliver Ames Gender Sexuality Alliance unveiled its first Transgender Day of Visibility mural. The mural consists of a beautifully colorful collection of butterflies fluttering their way around the atrium walls. The butterflies have the names and pronouns of students adorning the fronts. Students were also greeted with a video explaining the day, addressing some transgender myths, and had Lady Gaga blaring in the background (the latter was not the smartest decision on my behalf).
Two years later, Transgender Day of Visibility is back, and at a crucial time. The transgender community is under attack in multiple states, with anti-transgender bills targeting the community, especially trans female athletes. With these bills out in the open and gaining significant ground, Transgender Day of Visibility is more important than ever.
Transgender Day of Visibility is a day that celebrates the transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) population of the world and recognizes the issues they face. The day has a sibling in a way, as Transgender Day of Remembrance focuses on those the community has lost and remembering their lives and accomplishments. Both days represent two very different subjects in the same community, thus, it is important to understand the difference.
Transgender Day of Visibility has always served as a reminder that the trans & GNC community are here, visible, and aren’t going anywhere. It represents a community pulled together by change and gives the community the attention it deserves. Transgender people deserve more attention than being in bills discriminating against them.
With all the violence against trans people in the community, it is important to note visibility just isn’t enough anymore. Visibility is a great start, but we can do better. We can make laws that protect transgender and gender non-conforming people from discrimination at work, in public, and ESPECIALLY on sports teams. We can make hormone therapy more accessible to transgender people. We can allow transgender people to openly serve in the military. Doing all of this is the burden we owe a community stricken by transphobic rhetoric, bills, and attack.
The transgender and gender non-conforming community has taught the world that change is fluid, change is right in front of us, and change is never a question of when, it is an answer of now.