Transgender Day of Visibility
Transgender Day of Visibility aka #TDOV brings up mixed feelings for us.
Our TLDR is as @kaichengthom wrote in 2018: “trans visibility does not equal trans liberation” and “we must remember that representation and revolution are not at all the same thing."
We love celebrating all our siblings and are so grateful for our trancestors’ work to create a day to celebrate us not just in our death but also while we are alive.
The founder of TDOV, Rachel Crandall-Crocker herself said the day is a “double-edged sword” because it can increase or lead to attacks. She told @them in 2021 “if I had to do it again, knowing what I know now, I’m not 100% convinced I would create the International Transgender Day of Visibility."
Rachel has also talked about the need for allies to be visible and speak up and take action to support trans people. This is crucial for our liberation.
@kaichengthom also has pointed out that while there are more trans people on tv and in the media than before, we remain disproportionately homeless and suicidal. “Trans people’s visibility has skyrocketed, but anti-trans legislation and discrimination remain rampant.”
Our hopes and dreams are bigger than visibility. But we can’t reach them alone. We need allies to be active and loud for us. We need people to materially help trans people and not just give to nonprofits that cherrypick days like TDOV to fundraise. As @kararianagrande wrote on our 2020 TDOV post: We want a life as bountiful as the genders we embody. We need our allies to help us make it a reality.
Our feelings are mixed because we want to be seen, to be heard, to be cared for. We want to know our lives matter, and we want this to be reflected in more than just words and hashtags.
We are starting the #TDOV conversation a few days early to allow everyone to make a plan for how you will celebrate and acknowledge our trans siblings, how you will fight for our right to exist, to survive, to thrive, to live and to be seen on this day and all days.
