Transgender Awareness Week & Day of Remembrance

Photo: Adina Saks, CHS Class of 2025

This year, November 13th – 19th is Transgender Awareness Week culminating in the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th. The days leading up to the Day of Remembrance are dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of transgender people and advocating as members of the community or allies for issues regarding safety, justice, and equity.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was first held in 1999 as a memorial for Rita Hester, a transgender woman murdered in November 1998 in Massachusetts. Transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith started this annual event in response to the lack of police interest and local coverage into Hester’s death. While the Boston police revisited this crime in 2023, her murder remains unsolved.

Today, vigils are held annually on November 20th around the country commemorating the lives of transgender people lost to violence in the previous year. In our area, there will be a vigil at Franklin Lane Park in Long Branch from 6-7 p.m. and at the Garden State Equity Office in Asbury Park from 7-9 p.m. Garden State Equity also has daily events throughout the week leading up to the Day of Remembrance.

Part of our role as educators is to advocate for students. We should be familiar with New Jersey’s Transgender Guidance for School Districts usually enacted as Policy 5756. This document states, “A school district shall accept a student’s asserted gender identity; parental consent is not required”. This includes using a student’s preferred name and pronouns, altering school documentation to reflect their preferred name, and permitting students to dress in accordance with their gender identity. In addition, school districts must create a “safe and supportive environment” through such actions as providing appropriate professional development to staff members and ensuring students receive the support they need.

Educational leaders must communicate the message that equity is the responsibility of all stakeholders in an educational community, openly and vocally support transgender students, and identify particular issues that need to be addressed. However, before we can engage with the school and wider communities, we must first learn more about transgender children. Many educators recognize they may have the wrong impression of what it means to be transgender and acknowledge the need to identify the gaps in their knowledge. Their education must come first through online research, books by and about trans youth, and workshops conducted by organizations that support the transgender community.

The list of resources below can be used by educators and other members of a community all year long, not just during this event in November. Please take the time to review at least one resource and perform one action to support your transgender students this month and make it a practice going forward to learn and grow regarding the experiences of transgender individuals.