The Torbay-based transgender organisation, Transfigurations is teaming up with the social enterprise Proud2Be Project to host a one-off event to mark this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance.
THE EVENT, sponsored by Devon & Cornwall Police and Torbay and South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be held on Thursday, November 20, 6.45pm at The Horizon Centre, Torbay Hospital, Torquay.
A candlelit vigil will be held to memorialize those transgender people who have lost their lives due to transphobic hate crime this year. This will be preceded by a short film created by Transfigurations and followed by the showing of the film “A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story” – the moving and award winning film about the life of a transgender woman. A light buffet will also be available at the start of the event.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDoR has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. TDoR is held annually on 20 November to highlight the losses the transgender community face, due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries.
Transfigurations was founded two years ago to help transgender people with any problems that they might be experiencing before, during and after transition and to campaign for fairer treatment of transgender people in their healthcare and in the media. Besides active web forums where people can seek support, Transfigurations runs a busy telephone support line and also hosts regular meetings where transgender people can meet in a safe and friendly environment.
Carol, the founder of Transfigurations, said: “Transgender people have existed since the dawn of mankind and in some cultures, transgender people are revered, yet in western society we are stigmatised and held to ridicule for simply wanting to be true to ourselves. Thankfully attitudes are now starting to change to one of far greater acceptance by most fair minded people.”
Proud2Be, which was recently shortlisted, down to the final five for a National Diversity Award, began three years ago when the gay identical twin brothers, sat in front of their web cam and recorded a short video. In the video, they explained how they are both “proud to be gay”. Since then a number of high profile LGBT figures have contributed to the international campaign including Stephen Fry.
As well as running the campaign, Proud2Be holds a number of social events in South Devon, hosts Totnes’ yearly Pride event, has their own community radio show, facilitates workshops and provides consultancy to a number of organisations across the UK.
Earlier this year, the grassroots organisation announced details of further high profile support, when they named Peter Tatchell, Christine Burns MBE, Aderonke Apata and Andrew Solomon as their patrons. Next year, Proud2Be will launch a Devon-wide Youth Service and open the first rural LGBT community hub in South Devon.
Proud2Be co-founder Mat said: “Transphobia and the effects it can have on an individual and a community, is devastating- you only need to look at the statistics to know this is the case. We are thrilled to be working with Transfigurations, to honour those we have lost and to raise awareness about transphobic hate crime.”
The event is free to attend and open to everyone.
For more information about Transfigurations, click here:
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