November 20 marks the annual Trans Day Of Remembrance (TDOR). To mark this solemn day, we offer some history of the day and share the names of those we lost to honour and memorialize their memory.
This post includes descriptions of transphobia and violence, including murder. We include resources at the end for trans people and their loved ones who are looking for supports as well as links to celebrate Trans Week of Resilience, which begins November 16.
This day was established by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in 1999 to honour Rita Hester, who was murdered in 1998 in Massachusetts. Rita’s murder led to an online project, “Remembering Our Dead,” and a candlelight vigil in San Francisco. Today, it is an international day of remembrance and action. TDOR is meant to memorialize all those who have been killed due to anti-trans hatred and violence each year. It is especially important to acknowledge, what Forward Together reminds us, that “Trans communities of color face epidemic levels of discrimination and violence, and this violence overwhelmingly targets Black trans women and femmes.”
The Vancouver organizing collective states, “Our mission is to memorialize the hundreds of trans people who are murdered each year, the majority of whom are trans women of colour and sex workers, and bring attention to the violence and oppression they experience. We envision a world where trans women, sex workers, and trans people as a whole have the support and resources to live out their full lives with dignity, respect, and safety.”
To amplify this important memorializing work we share the names gathered for TDOR 2019 by the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM). They are a research project that “systematically monitors, collects, and analyses reports of homicides of trans and gender-diverse people worldwide.”
Infographic Credit: The Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project
They have identified 331 cases of reported killings of trans and gender-diverse people between 1 October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019. They report that “the majority of the murders occurred in Brazil (132), Mexico (65), and the United States (31), adding up to a total of 3314 reported cases in 74 countries worldwide between 1st of January 2008 and 30th of September 2019.”[i]
Not everyone on the following list self-identified as transgender, but TMM notes, “each was a victim of violence based on bias against trans people, especially trans women and sex workers in particular.” They also note this list is not comprehensive as tracking this data is complex for myriad reasons.
Those Lost October 2018-September 2019
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Juliana Ferreira Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier Danielly Ferraz N.N. (No Name Known) Gabriela Ramos Menezes Monse Janet Regina Denise Brown Lorrane da Silva Pitiele Edleuza Prado Marisa Sánchez “Haitianita” Patricia Aylen Molina Jessica Gonzaga N.N. Carol Machado Laysa Fortuna N.N. Karoline Mendonça da Silva Robertha Welmont Moraes Yuri Vanesa Salazar López Alves Gonçalves Robertinha Lorhany Kalarhary Sheila Brites Bodago Dja Santos Maria Cecília Natacha de Oliveira Brenda Zarik Sifuentes Andrade Estrella Elisângela Souza Rodrigues Flávia C. Raphaela Souza N.N. Ruiva Fanny Aguiar Flávia de Oliveira Karla Lopez Laureano Gabriella Torres Perlita de Guerrero Nahomy Alexandra López Orellana “La Pepita” Fábia Ju Dias Mikaela Africana Sanhes Rajni Tydi Dansbury Duda Karliane Vitoria Rodrigues Luisa Fernanda Hernandez Nancy de Monza J.C. Pereira de Lima Keanna Mattel “Kelly Stough” N.N. Jéssica Dimy Victória Landeiro Scarlety Mastroianyy Manuel Luna N.N. N.N. N.N. Gabi Blak Scarlett Cedeño Marilin Valquiria Litzy Hurtado N.N. Márcia Rodrigues Pereira Gaby Jéssica Bracamonte Denisse Hernández Rivero Nicolly Banks Valentina Herrera Guzman Melissa Brunely Rogéria Paiva Sabrina Santos Vidal Devora Montolio Mikinho Lima dos Santos N.N. N.N. Laura Muñoz Arcila N.N. Carla Girón Lodoño Dana Martin Hande Şeker Amy Griffiths Alka Sussy Montalván Sheilla Prado Quelly da Silva “Jeninha” N.N. Yara Serena Camargo Nashley Delgado Segovia Jésica Benevidez “Nicky” N.N. da Silva dos Santos Aysla Souza Pamela Sandoval Ramírez Mirna Antonella Di Marzo N.N. Ana Paula da Costa Ribeiro Ellie Marie Washtock “La Joha” González Leal Camila Diaz Córdova “Aurora” Laly Heredia Escobar “Sonia Laly” Mellyssa Rodrigues dos Santos Miriam Rivera Daniele Azevedo Fabi Cortes Morales Lolita Miúda Kayla Alves Meg Duran Samira Morena |
Rajathi Nathyelly Cruz Barbosa de Aquino Minerva Rubio Verito Mirlla Vasques Arcanjo N.N. Aghata Ana de Lima N.N Thais Pamela Arenceli Maxim Brizuela Laura Gentle Argueta Brigitte Galván Maylla dos Santos Pamela Maria Paula Murillo Reyes La Mariposa Flavia Santana Perla Renata Spencer N.N. Nazab Abid Shaikh Pollita Ruiz N.N. N.N. Zaira Betancur Caio Dantas Monteiro N.N. Mara da Silva Alessandra N.N. B.J.P. Lara N.N. Fabricia de Moura Lima Adalí Hernández Rápalo Celaya Méndey Yelada Amma Hajjani Marisol Montenegro Ashanti Carmon Paty Santos Patricia Rafaela dos Santos Camargo W. dos Santos Camargo Claudia Vera N.N. Jazzaline Ware Crysllaine Guedes da Silva Eduarda Albuquerque Barbara N.N. Shalu Sandrielly Vasconcelos N.N. Kasandra Solórzano Romero Brenda Plaza Vallejos Marqueza Malaj Islas Juju Ainee Khan Sabrina Kenia Hilton Claire Legato Nina Surgutskaya Muhlaysia Booker Tamara Becky Jessica Gómez Natalia Delgado Rubio N.N. Becky Rayssa dos Santos Catalina Casquete Holguín (Cata) N.N. Yaritza Angélica Millones López Jasmynne Fontile de Brito El Choco N.N. Melissa Larissa Rodrigues da Silva Heart Pontanes N.N. Dantas da Silva Yara Souza Luana N.N. Talia Silveira Pacheco Santos Gökçe Naz Saygi Natalia Dulce Bibiu A. Silva Costa Alana Ferreira Angela Paola Fajardo Muhlaysia Booker Michelle ‘Tamika’ Washington Thaylla Rodrigues de Moura Jesusa Reva Desai Paris Cameron Britany N.N. Gala Estefanía Perea Elaynne Marques Adelso Rodriguez Alonzo Jahy Bianchini leleco Rosinha do Beco Rose Johana Medina León (“Joa”) Chynal Lindsey Fabiola |
N.N. Miranda Pilar Ruiz Mayte Castro Anay Cecelia Cranko Chanel Scurlock Layleen Cubilette Polanco Xtravaganza Shakira (La Moy) Pamela Alex Milkovich N.N. Zoe Spears N.N. Nahara Maycon Clebes dos Reis Dafne Yilmaz Pollyane Weneck Lohane (Jasmine) Monica Devain Doris Hernandez Brooklyn Lindsey J.P. Moreno N.N. N.N. Maya Jessica Antonia Laínez Larios Santi Shakira Fernandez de la Hoz Bessy Michelle Ferrera Carly N.N. Shakira Fernandez de la Hoz Bessy Michelle Ferrera Carly N.N. Lucia Barrera Angie Digiacomo Medina N.N. N.N. Denali Berries Stuckey N.N. N.N. Sandy Bubba Walker Muskan Nadia N.N. Tracy Single Kiki Fantroy Jordan Cofer Pebbles LaDime “Dime” Doe Rosalinda Pérez Berigüete Gabriele Oliveira Karla Fernanda Silva N.N. A. Cermeño Medina Angi García “La Gata” Alondra García Aylin Hernández Gómez Félix de Oliveira Sara Miranda de Souza Abril Navarro Salazar Nathacha Ruby Flores N.N. Aline da Silva Kate Maikelly de Jesus Barbosa Ashley Daniela Martinez N.N. N.N. Hani Roberta “Xirrara” Rodrigues Sana Khan Brigitte Escalona Escobar N.N. N.N. Andra Mora López Bailey Reeves Bee Love Slater Victoria Santos Falcão Yuri Gabriel Castro Farias N.N. N.N. Ana Paula Carolinne Dias Nemer da Silva Rodrigues N.N. N.N. Ja’leyah Jamar Shokir Shavkatov Luana Piovani Bruna Torres Reena Elisha Chanel Stanley Jessa Remiendo N.N. Emmanuelle Agostinho da Silva Barros “Manu” Leandro Parra Hermosilla Médely Razard Bruna Surfistinha de Freitas Itali Marlowe Paloma Barreto Mhelody Polan Bruno Itzayana López Hernández Yoselin Martín Velasco N.N. Chhaya Júnia Franco |
Support Resources for Trans People and their families and friends
Trans Care BC – health services for the province, you can search for a variety of services through this website
WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre – trans-inclusive sexual assault services and supports based in Vancouver
Victoria Sexual Assault Centre – trans-inclusive sexual assault services and supports based in Vancouver
Catherine White Holman Centre – provides low-barrier wellness services to trans and gender-diverse people, based in Vancouver
PACE Society – Sex worker resource centre, by, for and with sex workers
Trans Life Line – A 24/7 hotline available in the US and Canada, staffed by trans people for trans people. Trans Lifeline is primarily for trans people in crisis, from struggling with gender identity to thoughts of self-harm. 1-877-330-6366
Image Credit: Kah Yangni, Forward Together – Trans Day of Resilience
Trans Week of Resilience (TWOR)
From the Vancouver Trans Week of Resilience organizers: “Trans Week of Resilience was created by trans people in the United States to widen the focus of Trans Day of Remembrance and honour and celebrate the living trans community, especially trans people of colour, alongside memorializing those murdered and killed by anti-trans violence.”
“For trans people of color to not only survive, but thrive, we need to reimagine our world.” (https://www.tdor.co/about)
Trans Day of Resilience resources – https://tdor.co/
TWOR Vancouver events schedule – https://vancouvertdor.com/events/
Image Credit: Shea Coco, Forward Together – Trans Day of Resilience
Sharnelle Jenkins-Thompson (she/her/hers) is Manager of Community Outreach at West Coast LEAF.
Questions? Feedback? Email us at blog@westcoastleaf.org
[i] TvT research project (2015) Trans Murder Monitoring, “Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide” (TvT) project website: http://transrespect.org/en/research/trans-murder-monitoring/