Trans Visibility Day & why it isn’t enough

Today, March 31, is Transgender Day of Visibility, which is a day to show your support for the trans community. It aims to bring attention to the accomplishments of trans people around the globe while fighting cissexism and transphobia by spreading knowledge of the trans community.

This is not a day of mourning. This is a day of celebration. But, what are we celebrating?

Yes, protections are slowly being out into place, and trans visibility is at an all time high with people like Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, and Chaz Bono, television shows such as Transparent, and trans people fighting to get into the realm of sports and modeling. Yet, laws are being passed throughout the nation that continually oppress our trans brothers and sisters. *cough cough* North Carolina *cough cough*

Yes, NC is a big one, especially because it is so recent. But we can’t forget about the little battles with school boards that are subjecting young trans people to live as the gender they were assigned at birth.

Don’t get me wrong, visibility is a huge part of any movement. But, just being visible and sharing very personal, emotional stories doesn’t seem to be doing the trick.

For example, a high school in Gloucester, Virginia heard the stories and complaints from multliple students, one of which being a trans male. The school board heard, and even praised these students before voting 6-1 to keep that trans student out of most of the schools bathrooms.

What is happening, is that people are hearing our trans family’s stories, feeling empathetic and then oppressing them. Why? These bills aren’t affecting them, or anyone they know.

It’s hard to calculate the exact number of trans people living in US. The main reason is that the United States Census Bureau and other keepers of official records do not ask about gender identity. Not to mention the number of queer people who are gender nonconforming or gender fluid. Oh yeah, some trans people might not even let any census know they are trans out of reluctance to have it on government documents.

But,The most recent paper, published last summer by the Census Bureau, analyzed people who most likely were transgender, based on the fact that they had changed their name or sex with the Social Security Administration.

They found, since the Social Security Administration started in 1936, 135,367 people have changed their name to one of the opposite gender, and 30,006 also changed their sex accordingly. In the 2010 census, 89,667 had changed their names and 21,833 had also changed their sex.

In a nation where the population was 309 million in 201o, recorded trans people only make up a tiny percentage of our population. Which makes it hard for such a small percentage to go out and meet 309 million people while making them care about their issues.

What we need is a tidal wave of trans people and their allies fighting. I mean, making as big of a scene as we did with same-sex marriage. Our trans brothers and sisters need our help, not just our support in this fight.

Step up and do something to help your community, not just yourself.