Gender and Sexuality Resource Center to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility
Transgender Flag held in the sky (Getty Images)
March 29, 2022
The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center will celebrate the Transgender Day of Visibility by hosting an in-person event and sharing words of support and affirmation on Thursday.
Transgender Day of Visibility, also known as TDOV, takes place on March 31 and was established in 2009.
According to the NIU calendar event page, there will be social media posts of words of support and affirmation from leaders at NIU, an announcement from the TransAction Task Force and an in-person event sponsored by the Speakers Bureau.
“It (TDOV) was meant to focus on the accomplishments of trans people, it was meant to bring awareness to what has been done in the past year for visibility… It’s also meant to bring awareness to what still needs to be done for inclusion, liberation and visibility of trans people,” said Molly Holmes, director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.
The event held by the GSRC is titled Transgender Day of Visibility: Envisioning a more Trans-Centered NIU. A key part of this day will be an announcement from the TransAction Task Force at 3 p.m. through the GSRC’s Facebook and Instagram, Holmes said.
“The TransAction Task Force is a group of trans student leaders who are asking and forming, demanding from the university some things that they would like to see from their experience as trans students, what the university can do better or do more of for trans inclusion and visibility,” Holmes said.
Holmes said that posts will include words of inclusion and support from NIU leadership as well as quotes from the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) in November in response to trans students’ art.
“NIU typically commemorates Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) which happens in November and that brings awareness to people who have been murdered in the past year due to anti-trans violence,” Holmes said. “We’ve consistently commemorated that day and this day is another piece of that to ensure that it’s not just a commemoration of something that is to mourn, but to encourage visibility and the possibility.”
At the in-person event, attendees will be able to see the words of support from NIU leaders and write their own additional words of support to leave at the GSRC, Holmes said. There will also be snacks and friendship bracelets available for students.
“There’s a little bit of variety on that day in person and our goal of that component is to think of visibility robustly, what you can see and what you feel when you come into our space and the actual support that exists in this center and beyond,” Holmes said.
On April 1, there will be a viewing of the documentary “Disclosure,” followed by a discussion, according to the NIU calendar event page. This event will be held in the classroom at the Center for Black Studies.
After celebrating TDOV, there are two more major events that the GSRC will be hosting this semester: Pride Awards and Lavender Graduation.
Pride Awards is an annual event that NIU has been doing for 26 years and is an opportunity to highlight individuals’ successes and accomplishments, Holmes said.
“We will be able to give out our award (Eychaner Award),” Holmes said. “That award is given in two categories: Faculty, staff alum is one category and the other is student. And it is basically recognizing an individual in each of those categories who contributed to visibility, leadership for the LGBTQ+ community at NIU.”
Pride Awards will be held in the Capital Room in the Holmes Student Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 15. Those interested in attending must RSVP by April 4.
The last event that the GSRC will be hosting this semester is Lavender Graduation. Lavender Graduation is for anyone graduating this academic year who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, Holmes said. The ceremony will be from 3 to 5 p.m. May 12 and students are required to RSVP.