Toplines and Key Points:

• Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) was founded thirteen years ago to celebrate the accomplishments and resiliency of transgender and gender non-comforting people.
• Texas has been at the forefront of a wave of bigoted anti-trans attacks from Republican politicians.
• Transgender Day of Visibility is a day to not only support transgender people in your community with words of affirmation, but also with concrete actions. 
• Take action by donating to organizations doing the hard work of fighting for trans justice in Texas or by attending a rally close to you. 

Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) was founded on March 31st, 2009 by Rachel Crandall, a US-based transgender activist. Crandall was frustrated that Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to mourn the murders of transgender people, was the only transgender-centered day that was internationally recognized. Transgender Day of Visibility was created to pay homage to the accomplishments of living transgender and gender non-conforming people across the world and to raise awareness about the work still needed to be done to fight transgender discrimination.

238 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed across the country so far this year, with more than half specifically targeting trans people. This wave of bigoted legislation includes bans on transgender kids playing sports, bans on using bathrooms that correspond with gender identity, and attacks on access to gender-affirming health care. Texas has been at the forefront of anti-trans legislation, and just last year Texas introduced the most bills targeting transgender youth in the country. 

Most recently, Gov. Greg Abbott and indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton renewed their attacks on trans youth with a non-binding opinion categorizing gender-affirming care for minors as “child abuse.” Abbott’s subsequent letter to the Department of Family and Protective Services instructing the agency to investigate families of trans kids has started a wave of attacks against transgender children seeking gender-affirming care, including at least five child welfare investigations and the pausing of providing gender-affirming care to children by providers. Abbott, Paxton, and other anti-trans lawmakers across the nation must be stopped.

vis·i·bil·i·ty | noun | the state of being able to see or be seen

Transgender Day of Visibility is a day to proudly say, “I see you, I respect you, and celebrate you and your accomplishments,” but it’s also a day for more than just words. Visibility entails a collective effort. In order to be seen, someone must be looking. The power rests within the eyes, and actions of the viewer. So, while March 31st is a day to center transgender people, it is also a day that calls cisgender people to action. It takes hard work to fight against anti-transgender legislation and achieve trans justice. 

If you’re ready to do some work, here are some ways you can act:

• Take the time to educate yourself! Learn the facts about gender-affirming care.
• Check out txtranskids.org to find a list of actions you can take and more resources for transgender youth in Texas.
• The ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal have sued to block the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) from investigating parents of transgender children. Donate to the ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal to support their legal efforts, including providing free lawyers to parents who support their trans children in obtaining gender-affirming care.
• Donate to other organizations fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights in Texas. Some of these groups include Equality Texas and the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT).
• Find and attend the Transgender Day of Visibility Rally closest to you. Here are some in Austin, Houston, and Lubbock. 
• Be vocal in your support of trans Texans not just today, but every day. 
• Vote in every election and organize to defeat Abbott, Paxton, and any lawmaker who attacks trans Texans. Vote FOR candidates who boldly support LGBTQIA+ rights.