LANSING, Mich. — The 10th Anniversary of the Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an annual day dedicated to honoring transgender people and bringing attention to the needs of the transgender community, was celebrated with a rally at the Michigan Capitol Building lawn on Saturday, March 30th. Now internationally observed, Transgender Day of Visibility was created by Michigan transgender activist and co-founder of Transgender Michigan, Rachel Crandall Crocker.
While the transgender community already had an annual day to mourn transgender individuals lost to violence, Transgender Day of Remembrance, in 2009 Rachel decided a day was sorely needed to honor those transgender individuals still with us who continue to make the world better for all. Transgender Day of Visibility falls on March 31st but was observed with a rally this year on March 30th.
Highlights of the event included a tribute presentation to Rachel Crandall Crocker honoring the 10th anniversary by Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, as well as a proclamation to celebrate the event presented by Lansing’s LGBTQ liaison, Matthew Shraft, on behalf of Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. In addition the the event’s sponsoring organization, Transgender Michigan (TGMI) and the Lansing Association for Human Rights (LAHR), several advocacy organizations and transgender leaders were featured at the event. Among the organizations speaking were the Trans Sisters of Color Project (TSOCP), the Gender Identity Network Alliance (GINA), Transgender Detroit, Stand with Trans, Ferndale Pride, and Transcend the Binary (TTB).
“International Transgender Day of Visibility is celebrated all over the world, even in Uganda. The Day of
Visibility is precious even to people who live in Countries where being Transgender is against the law,” said Rachel Crandall Crocker, founder of Transgender Day of Visibility and co-founder of Transgender Michigan (TGMI).
“Transgender Day of Visibility is about trans people becoming more visible. It is about increasing the visibility of trans issues, concerns, and oppression, and it is a celebration of trans folx. We need allies to advocate for trans folx, and to openly celebrate trans existence,” said Zekiye Salman, President, Lansing Association for Human Rights (LAHR). “Because trans visibility should be safe for our transgender community, LAHR believes that single-stall bathrooms should be gender-neutral. We are encouraging business owners in Lansing to make this change and sponsoring the purchase and installation of permanent all-gender bathroom signs to make this as easy as possible.”
LAHR vice president emphasized the day as a community building and community finding event. "We need
Transgender Day of Visibility so we know we are not alone," said Erica Spitzfaden, Vice President, Lansing Association for Human Rights (LAHR).
Business owners interested in replacing their bathroom signs with “all gender” signs should contact LAHR by sending an email to communications@lahronline.org.
