March 31 marks International Transgender Day of Visibility. This is a day where the transgender community comes out in protest, open-mikes, and other celebrations to show the world of transgendered people’s existence. It is a perfect opportunity to learn about a community that only make 1% of the population and has a lot of discrimination directed towards them.
How was International Transgender Day of Visibility created?
The International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by Rachel Crandall Crocker from the great state of Michigan. She created this day because the only way anyone knew about the community was through the Transgender Day of Remembrance which is November 20 and honors those who have died from the community. Rachel wanted to do something about it and put the community into a positive light. It’s been going strong since for 15 years and gets bigger spreading around the world to countries who wish go recognize their own transgendered communities.
Who is Rachel Crandall Crocker?
Along with being the founder of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, Rachel is also the head of Transgender Michigan organization, an activist, licensed psychotherapist, and more. She lives with her partner Susan Crocker and is very active in her work. Because of all her work, Rachel has also been honored with many awards over the years including the Pride Month Game Changers honoree by the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers.
To get more of an idea of who she is about and how this big day came to be from her own words, watch this video below of an interview she did on the Slightly Offensive Podcast from April 1, 2024.
What is Transgender Michigan?
Transgender Michigan is an organization that supports, educates, and guides the community as well as the outside world on transgender issues. According to it’s website, “Transgender Michigan’s primary mission is to provide advocacy, support and education while serving to create coalitions in the state of Michigan to unify and empower transgender and gender non-conformist communities.”
If you live in the state of Michigan, you can find out more about them here: https://www.transgendermichigan.org/
Why is it important to learn about transgender issues?
I personally have connections to the transgender community. I am a facilitator for the Scrambled Eggs support group through the Transgender Michigan organization . I have not only gotten a personal education on the journey but have connected to a wonderful group of people who just want to live their lives they feel like they were meant to be. Some actually are pretty spiritual and attend gender-affirming churches that are progressively Methodist, Presbyterian and more.
This is a group that is sadly being demonized by not only the current administration in the White House, but also very conservative churches who believe that being transgender is a sin and an abomination. Frankly, they make these judgements because they, as well as most of the public-at-large do not know about the community and have never taken the time to do so. In addition, it is a talking point and “red meat” for the base to come together against the “perceived other.”
I personally think that the transgender community, along with the greater LGBTQ+ community, are the people I feel Jesus would want to talk to and hang out with. After all, didn’t he talk with the lepers, the poor, and those that the greater Pharisees and church leaders refused? So, if Jesus can show unconditional love to the marginalized and the outsiders, why can’t we?
What can you do to support the transgender community?
So what can you do to support the transgender community?
There are a lot of things you can do to support the transgender community and a few ideas have been hinted about above. However, to make it easier for you, here is a list to get you started:
- Learn about International Transgender Day of Visibility and Transgender Remembrance Day?
- Educate yourself on the current discriminations affecting the community.
- Connect with organizations on transgender and other LGBTQ+ issues (listed below).
- Attend PRIDE events in your area (which usually occur in the summer months).
- Become a friend and an ally.
- Show unconditional love and support.
Here is where you can learn more about the transgender (as well as the greater LGBTQ+) community:
PFLAG – https://pflag.org/
LGBT Foundation – https://lgbtfoundation.start.page/
GLAAD – https://glaad.org/
Transform the Vote – https://transformthevote.org/
Stand with Trans – https://standwithtrans.org/
Trans Formations Project – https://www.transformationsproject.org/
National Black Trans Advocacy – https://blacktrans.org/about-us/
About Susan:
Susan is a fan of music and culture and kind of considers herself that way. To get to know a little more about her, as well as future updates, you can find her at the links below:
Visit my Facebook author page.
and Website
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