Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility, and it couldn't be coming at a better time. The day is about elevating the recognition With transgender visibility on the rise, it's a good time to take a look at what is happening in the transgender world:
Geena Rocero is launching Gender Proud, a campaign to call attention to the fact that there are only a handful countries where transgender individuals are able to change their gender marker without having to first undergo surgery. Geena recently made history when she came out as transgender in her TED Talk.
Speaking of TED, they just published, "How should we talk about transgender issues?" which presents tips and guidelines for discussing transgender people and issues. The article is part of a larger series on reporting and talking about sensitive issues.
Last night, the Trans 100 event occurred in Chicago to shine a spotlight on the visibility and accomplishments of the transgender community. This is the second Trans 100 event and light, bringing the stories of transgender people from across a wide variety of backgrounds to celebrate transgender visibility.
At the same time, Trans*H4ck celebrated the accomplishments of transgender people in the tech industry. During the 48-hour hack-a-thon, the winning group, RAD, created a site that streamlined the search process for transgender medical practioners.
A new trailer for TransMilitary was released today, to give visibility to transgender people serving in the military. The film is set for release later this year, and will share the lives of transgender service members here in the US and contrast it with the experiences of those in the UK, where serving openly is allowed.
Finally, GLAAD announced today that Laverne Cox will be honored at the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on April 12 where she will receive GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.
Positive transgender visibility is incredibly important, since visibility promotes familiarity and a stronger desire to protect those who have often been left out or attacked by others. The Trans Student Equality Resources shared a graphic that exemplifies how important transgender visibility is.
