November 18, 2020

This week is Trans Awareness Week.

Everyone deserves to live as their true, authentic self without fear or shame. But in at least fifty countries across the world, transgender people either experience defacto criminalisation or live under specific laws that punish with prison sentences, corporal punishment and, where anti-gay laws are also used against trans people, even death. In at least 47 UN member states, it’s not possible to legally change your gender. Transgender people across the world are more likely to experience hate crimes, violence, and family rejection as well as higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and housing insecurity. We must all play our part in identifying, challenging and stopping persecution and hatred, in all its forms. If you see people sharing misinformation about trans people, challenge it. If you see abuse on social media, report it. If you feel safe, work hard to make sure everyone feels the same.

Here are some activities in Toronto to raise awareness and understanding of the experiences Trans individuals face, as well to build a more inclusive society.

https://www.the519.org/events/tdor2020

https://torontobusinessdaily.com/stories/564496126-ryerson-university-participate-in-this-year-s-virtual-trans-awareness-month

https://humber.ca/today/events/transgender-day-remembrance-55069

https://www.thessu.ca/transgender-day-of-remembrance