Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual event honoring of the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. TransPonder and the University of Oregon’s LGBT Education and Support Services are hosting a TDOR event at the UO’s Erb Memorial Union. Tara Burke of TransPonder says the idea behind TDOR is to honor folks who have died in trans- and gender-based violence, which can include mental health and suicide in addition to direct attacks upon trans people. Burke says that from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30 of this year there were 69 reported deaths of trans folks in the U.S. and 398 international reports, with Pakistan, Colombia and Brazil having the highest numbers. Burke points out the numbers are only what have been made known; for example, people who may have been misgendered or dead-named may not be counted. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, since January 2017, 73 percent of the transgender homicides in America were with a gun, and 71 percent of all transgender gun homicide victims in the U.S. were Black women. Burke says TDOR is “one of the harder events we do every year,” and says it’s also important to note that Nov. 20 also celebrates Transgender Day of Resilience where “we can celebrate joy and the liberation of trans people.”

Transgender Day of Remembrance is 3 to 6pm, Sunday, Nov. 20, at the UO’s EMU. The event is put on by Transponder and the UO’s LGBT Education and Support Services team: SJ, Teagan Gaviola, Emma Howard and Cassie Delbo. More info at Transponder.community. For more on Transgender Day of Resilence, go to TDOR.co. FREE.

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