Bradford Council and its partners are set to observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday, 20th November, at 11 am.
The ‘Trans Day of Remembrance’ serves as an opportunity for individuals to unite in solidarity with the transgender community, remembering those who have tragically lost their lives.
A vigil is scheduled at City Hall to commemorate the day, featuring guest speakers. Following this, a two-minute silence will be observed, and the Transgender flag will be hoisted in Centenary Square, then lowered to half-mast as a gesture of respect for transgender individuals who lost their lives to anti-transgender violence in the past year.
Transgender Awareness Week, spanning from 13th to 19th November, is a dedicated period for expressing support for the transgender community. It is a time when transgender individuals and their allies take action, aiming to educate the public about transgender identity, share personal narratives, and address issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence faced by the transgender community.
On 20th November, Bradford University is organizing a Commemoration Service in the Richmond Building Atrium, followed by a flag-raising ceremony at the Peace Garden starting at 12:30 pm. The University of Bradford Centre for Inclusion and Diversity, along with the LGBTQ+ Staff Network, extends an invitation to a theatre show titled “Transparency – A Northern Tale of Transition” at 4 pm at Theatre in the Mill.
Bradford Equity Partnership, in collaboration with Bradford East Youth Service, will host an open event at 6 pm on 20th November featuring the Phoenix Trans Youth Group. The event will showcase an art piece created by young people to commemorate lives lost in the transgender community. A moment of reflection and discussion on pertinent issues will also be included.
Councillor Sinead Engel, Bradford Council’s LGBTQ+ Champion, said: “Bradford Council stands shoulder to shoulder with the trans community. As a society we need to stand in solidarity, we need to challenge transphobia and importantly we need to listen and ensure the trans community are at the centre of decisions that affect their lives.
“We want everyone in our district to be valued for who they are, so promoting inclusion, equalities and diversity and eliminating discrimination have to be at the forefront of all that we do. Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance are important ways of supporting our transgender community and raising awareness and our understanding of the issues that they face every day.”
Charles Dacres, Director of Bradford Hate Crime Alliance, said: “Bradford Hate Crime Alliance stands in solidarity with the trans community. We must confront transphobia and listen to their concerns. We are committed to valuing everyone in our community and eliminating discrimination. Transgender Day of Remembrance is vital for highlighting and supporting our transgender community.”
Becky Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer of Equity Partnership, said: “Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses to the community through transphobia and violence. As an organisation we are still fighting for rights, and the right for our trans siblings to exist. Many are seeking to eradicate transgender people. It is more important now than ever we remember those who lost their lives and we continue to fight for equality.”
