In the last two decades, November has been a time of heightened focus on transgender individuals and the community through Transgender Awareness Week (13th-19th) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (20th). I'd like to share some details about what exactly this event is and what it means to me as a transgender woman.

I want to start with a bit about myself to frame this conversation. Eight years ago, on the first of November, I was outed as a trans woman to my family. While the coming out experience around my gender is certainly a conversation for another day, it suffices to say that a lack of awareness about transness meant that it was handled poorly by many close to me.

Transgender Awareness Week

Transgender Awareness Week is a time for uplifting and upholding real and positive stories of transgender people across the world. It is a time for us and our allies to take action and bring attention to ourselves and our community to educate and advocate for ourselves and highlight our brilliance. Cutting through negativity, misinformation, hatred, and more is essential to improve the lives of folks within and without the community. This visibility and awareness can come with a risk of backlash. Still, it is by being visible that we break this cycle. This advocacy and education is made even more critical through a political climate in the USA and beyond that vilifies transgender children, adults, and our allies.

At the ServiceNow Knowledge conference in May 2023, another transgender person told me that my visibility and passion are part of what increased their comfort in being their authentic self at work. I could see through this and other dialogues that the presence and unapologetic nature of being me and raising that awareness was having tangible positive effects. Those of us in a privileged position to be able to advocate for our community must do so, and allies must support us in this endeavour.

If you're eager to understand more about Transgender Awareness Week and peruse resources, see the following from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and GLAAD as great launching points:

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Following the advocacy and excellence of the preceding week is a far more sombre event. I want to warn members of our community that the following links and conversations speak to violent discrimination and homicide. If you are an ally or are otherwise reading this, I ask that you review and embrace the realities I discuss here. Shying away from these only conceals and quietly condones this reality.

Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 to hold vigil and honour the life of Rita Hester, a transgender woman murdered the year before in 1998, and all those who lost their lives as a result of anti-trans violence in the preceding year. Organisations such as Trans Respect versus Transphobia (TRvT) track and report on these statistics - however, these numbers only speak to identifiable cases reported. Often, transgender folk are misgendered and written about under previous name and gender information, perpetuating this discrimination even beyond their deaths.

Three hundred twenty reported murders of transgender people occurred in this last year. Say their names. Stop the hatred and violence. Educate those around you and address intolerance and bigotry before it becomes brutality. This is very close to my heart, as a friend of mine was murdered for being her authentic self, and we cannot continue to let this happen.

Once again, GLAAD and other organisations have resources you can access to learn more - Transgender Day of Remembrance | GLAAD is a good launching point.

Closing comments

Living one's authentic self and truth is a challenge regardless of identity, but there is no question that transgender folks are a proverbial punching bag of choice right now. Making sure we support and back one another and observe and support events like Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance is one way you can support the transgender community. I implore you to do so.

With much love and solidarity,

Astrid Sapphire

2023 ServiceNow Developer MVP and ServiceNow Pride CBG Leader

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