Escape

31 Mar NYSCASA Honors International Transgender Day of Visibility

Posted at 06:00h in news, Statements by

Each year on March 31, we take time to acknowledge International Transgender Day of Visibility. On this day, transgender people and allies take action by educating the public about trans people’s experiences and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the trans community.

Max Micallef, Public Policy Director at NYSCASA, shares: “This is a day to uplift both the struggles and joy, the gender dysphoria and euphoria of transgender lives everywhere, both the individual and systemic lived experiences that come with simply being who you are.”

Despite progress in recent years, like the increased visibility of trans people in pop culture, historic election wins, and improvements in healthcare, many trans people—especially Black, Indigenous, and Latinx trans women—encounter discrimination and violence, including sexual violence, on a daily basis. This occurs in a variety of contexts: within families, education systems, workplaces, social services and shelters, law enforcement, the legislature, and healthcare. This demonstrates that visibility is not enough to protect trans people. We all must continue to learn, reflect, and create environments of support and inclusion for people of all genders.

“We are about to witness new levels of assault on trans survival,” wrote Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice at the American Civil Liberties Union, in an Instagram post last year. This statement rings true today with news of state governments across the U.S. implementing policies that aim to eradicate trans people from public life.

Strangio also wrote, “Please turn your awareness into action, into love, into being a co-conspirator. […] Fight with us.”

Today—and every day—NYSCASA proudly supports our trans community, and we will continue to fight alongside you. We invite cisgender allies to join this fight, because trans rights are human rights.

“As a genderqueer person myself under the non-binary umbrella, as simply a person with compassion and morals, I stand firmly in my aim to be a true accomplice to my trans siblings in every aspect of life. Queer rights are trans rights. The rights of sexual violence survivors are trans rights. Trans rights are human rights 365 day a year. I love you. Thank you for showing up as you are. If you are unable to show up as you are currently, I will continue to be there for you so you can. We must all be there to do so to the fullest extent possible.” – Max Micallef, NYSCASA Public Policy Director

Resources for Transgender Survivors of Violence

Resources for Cisgender Allies and Advocates