Adapted from PFLAG National
Each November 20th, PFLAG joins in honoring the 2020 Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which was inspired by the 1998 murder of Rita Hester.
From tdor.info:
The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.
TDOR 2020 honors those who died between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020. For that period, 47 lives were taken in the United States (that we know of), and 386 worldwide; this includes death by violence, by self-harm, those who died in ways yet to be determined and sadly, this year, from COVID-19.
The list for 2020 is as follows. We ask that you #saytheirnames:
- 28 Sep 2020, Mia Green, 29, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 19 Sep 2020, Aerrion Burnett, 37, Independence, Missouri
- 15 Sep 2020, Gia Valentina Romualdo Rodríguez, 46, Miami, Florida
- 7 Sep 2020, Isabella Mia Lofton, 21, Brooklyn, New York
- 31 Aug 2020, Elie Che, 23, The Bronx, New York
- 26 Aug 2020, Shelley Lynn Rose, 16
- 13 Aug 2020, Kee Sam, 24, Lafayette, Louisiana
- 28 Jul 2020, Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears (“Rocky Rhone”), 32, Portland, Oregon
- 27 Jul 2020, Queasha Hardy, 24, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 26 Jul 2020, Tiffany Harris (“Dior H Ova”), 32, The Bronx, New York
- 13 Jul 2020, Marilyn Monroe Cazares, 22, Brawley, California
- 6 Jul 2020, Angela Martinez Gómez, 42, Santa Monica, California
- 4 Jul 2020, Summer Taylor, 24, Seattle, Washington
- 3 Jul 2020, Bree Black, 27, Pompano Beach, Florida
- 1 Jul 2020, Shaki Peters, 32, Amite City, Louisiana
- 30 Jun 2020, Draya McCarty, 28, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 30 Jun 2020, Merci Mack, 22, Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas
- 30 Jun 2020, Tatiana Hall, 22, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 25 Jun 2020, Brayla Stone, 17, Sherwood, Arkansas
- 13 Jun 2020, Brian Powers (“Eagle”), , Akron, Ohio
- 9 Jun 2020, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, 27, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 9 Jun 2020, Riah Milton, 25, Liberty Township, Cincinnati, Ohio
- 6 Jun 2020, Name Unknown, 16-20, Chicago, Illinois
- 31 May 2020, Selena Reyes-Hernandez, 37, Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois
- 27 May 2020, Tony McDade, 38, Tallahassee, Florida
- 9 May 2020, Jayne Thompson, 33, Orchard Mesa, Colorado
- 6 May 2020, Helle Jae O’Regan, 20, San Antonio, Texas
- 3 May 2020, Nina Pop, 28, Sikeston, Missouri
- 11 Apr 2020, Johanna Metzger, , Baltimore, Maryland
- 3 Apr 2020, Henrietta Robinson, 79, Miami, Florida
- 1 Apr 2020, Ashley Moore, 26, Newark, New Jersey
- 30 Mar 2020, Lorena Borjas, 59, Queens, New York
- 28 Mar 2020, Lexi “Ebony” Sutton, 33, Harlem, New York
- 18 Mar 2020, Monica Diamond, 34, Charlotte, North Carolina
- 12 Mar 2020, John Scott Devore/Scottlyn Kelly Devore, 51, Augusta, Georgia
- 21 Feb 2020, Camila María Concepción, 28, Los Angeles, California
- 4 Jan 2020, Alex McCray, 22, St. Louis, Missouri
- 1 Jan 2020, Dustin Parker, 25, McAlester, Oklahoma
- 29 Dec 2019, Mia Penny, 26, Washington, D.C.
- 19 Dec 2019, Yahira Nesby, 33, Brooklyn, New York
- 18 Dec 2019, Alice Carter (“Baby Alice”), 35, Washington, D. C.
- 10 Dec 2019, Angel Rose Garcia, 21, Hyattsville, Maryland
- 7 Dec 2019, Nikki Kuhnhausen, 17, Larch Mountain, Oregon
- 14 Oct 2019, Brianna “BB” Hill, 30, Kansas City, Missouri
- 11 Oct 2019, Daphne Dorman, 44, San Francisco, California
- 10 Oct 2019, Christine Zephier, 23, Mankato, Minnesota
- 6 Oct 2019, Corbin Ray Bach, 23, Paducah, Kentucky
As PFLAGers–as human beings–it is imperative that we boldly, loudly, and publicly honor those we have lost to anti-trans violence and hate, and speak out against violence anywhere we see it. Many of our PFLAG chapters will host virtual TDOR events via their PFLAG Connects meeting. Find the chapter nearest you and ask how they are honoring the day.
Simultaneously, as we honor those we have lost, we must use this as an opportunity to strongly recommit to trans inclusion at all levels of our work, providing support to people who are trans and gender expansive and to their families and friends; providing education to those who still lack the understanding necessary to be good allies; and advocating for protections at all levels of government: Local, State, and Federal.
There has been so much harm done, and we have an opportunity to help end that harm. We advocate for getting out the vote in the upcoming election, and keeping in mind voting for legislators who will work to protect and support our trans loved ones.
