Transgender Day of Visibility
by DAISY THOMAS
“He saw me and let me remember that I was somebody. I remember nothing else from that year of school, nothing else that I learned, but I remembered that a teacher made me feel like I was somebody, that I mattered, that I was important, that I was human.”
– Omid Safi, “The Power of Being Seen For Who We Are
When 8-year old Rachel Crandall opened up to her parents about how she felt she was in the wrong body, insisting she was really a girl, her parents shamed her into silence, demanding she never utter such falsehoods again. So she didn’t, living in isolation, fear, and shame for decades until she could no longer hide her true self. At 39, Rachel opened up once again, claiming her womanhood, and founded Transgender Michigan, a now 24-year old resource organization for the transcommunity, who at the time were often ignored or othered by the local LGB community, as well as March 31st’s annual Transgender Day of Visibility, which has since gone on to be an internationally recognized day of visible awareness.
Six years later, Utah would see its own transgender community organize under TEA of Utah, aka Transgender Education Advocates of Utah, a statewide transgender (trans) advocacy organization. Their mission is to “ensure that all Utahns are afforded the same opportunity to live, work, and thrive regardless of their gender identity or expression,” and that “through education, advocacy, and community building so that all Utahns can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.”
Visibility and awareness are the only way to help shed a light on issues we don’t or can’t see, while also putting pressure on those that won’t. A state which claims belief in the sanctity and reverence of life must also show the same love and kindness — or at the very least, equal and fair treatment — to all of those living in or traveling through our communities. Yet year after year, someone looking to make a name, promote vitriol,abuse, and hatred, or social media splash in the Utah legislature runs anti-human rights bills.
Thankfully, advocates from every realm have mimicked Gayle Ruzicka’s infamous phone tree manner of organizing and have been able to quelch such bills — although, usually not before public visibility and awareness has made national, and often international, headlines. Earlier this month, new Jazz owner Ryan Smith reportedly met with new State Representative Kera Birkeland Smith and “expressed concerns about her bill‘s impact on transgender youth and that a backlash that could cost the state the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.”
Regardless of gender identity or expression, everyone wants to be truly seen, to be appreciated and valued for the individual person we are. While we thank and honor everyone who uses their positions, privileges, and platforms to raise awareness, to help combat wrongs and to advocate for the rights of others, we all must continue using our voices, sharing our stories, sitting with another through pain so that we never lose sight of our goal: valuing and protecting our shared humanity because we each deserve to live a life of dignity and respect.