Trans Day of Visibility: Visibility is Representation
Below is something colleagues and i wrote for Transgender Day of Visibility. It is posted on our internal website but wanted to share with a wider audience. I am thankful to work for a company that invites and supports this kind of open communication.
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The phrase - visibility is representation - (or an iteration of it) has been used for a long time but with even more regularity in the last few years. We have come to see that visibility for underrepresented or misrepresented groups makes a difference. A lot of minority groups focus on visibility. But why? What does “visibility” do? What does “visibility” for the trans community do?
March 31 is Trans Day of Visibility so to start let’s first start with what Wikipedia says about Trans Day of Visibility:
International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.
It is important to shine a light on the trans community as they continue to suffer discrimination. What happens when you shine a light on something? You can see it better. Well, that’s what’s happening here, too. You – WE – need to see the trans community better so that we can better support it.
So what, so we see the community and we try to help? Yes, we try to help when/where/how we can. Can we fix everything? Not entirely…or at least not entirely all at once but helping now moves things forward in the right direction. And the more we have conversations about and (perhaps more importantly) WITH the trans community the more we are moving things in the right direction.
It goes back to this: if you can see it, you can be it. There are members of the trans community of all ages that look outside, look into a room, look around at the mall, just plain old look and sometimes NEVER see themselves reflected back in society. That can be lonely to some, scary to some, sad to some – it depends on so many things. But when we can show the trans community in a positive light and with some or more regularity we create a chance for that person of whatever age in whatever city or town to recognize themselves and think: “oh ok, THERE I am…I can do this”. There is great strength that comes from knowing you’re not “the only one”.
Below three members of the All Americas Rainbow group wanted to reflect on Trans Day of Visibility and why it’s important to us.
DON PIETRANCZYK
VP, Experience & Education
Informa Markets | Fashion
I am not trans and therefore the discriminations that affect the trans community don’t apply to me. Or don’t they? The trans community is an isolated community and I as an out gay man once knew the feelings of isolation. This was most prevalent as I was growing up. I didn’t know I was gay or come out until later but there was a feeling of something different, something “other than” the rest of my classmates. It was observed and I was picked on because of it. I’m lucky that my torment was only being taunted by ignorant adolescents. The trans community today still endures torments but not (only) by ignorant adolescents but also by grown men and women who actively choose NOT to understand. And they actively choose to make the lives of the trans community difficult and in some cases horrifying and demoralizing. They work to deny the trans community basic human rights. The ask is simple: please consider someone else’s journey as their own and see how you might provide empathy when and where needed.
The trans community is the T in the LGBTQIA+ family (me being the OBVIOUS “G” of the community) so as a part of the family what happens to the trans community happens to all of us. This is why I choose to speak about the trans community loudly and proudly on this day and to continue to be a loud and proud supporter every day and in every way I can.
STEVEN POMERANTZ
Sr. Marketing Manager, WOC & WOC360 Digital
Informa Markets
In my community, we use the acronym LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, (questioning), intersex, asexual, and (agender) to represent all facets of who we are. Today, I would like to shine a light on my trans brothers and sisters that have had it particularly hard in their continuing struggle for equality.
In addition to violence being perpetrated on a routine basis against trans individuals, particularly trans women of color throughout the United States, the trans community is currently having their rights restricted and limited from state lawmakers across the country. South Dakota has barred transgender girls from playing girls sports, and in Idaho, legislators work to make gender-affirming care punishable by up to life in prison. After Texas failed to pass a similar bill last year, the governor ordered state agencies to investigate parents who allow their children to transition. Laws like this, and the most recent Don’t Say Gay bill that was signed into law THIS WEEK in Florida, are directly aimed at my community and our supporters and families, to remove the progress we have strived for, and the equality we should all live under. It also endangers the gay and trans youth trying to navigate their way through adolescence.
Studies have shown that LGBTQIA+ youth face higher health and suicide risks than their straight peers. When kids are given access to spaces that affirm their gender identity, suicide attempts decline. Bills like those mentioned above can ultimately erase LGBTQIA+ identity, history, and culture — as well as LGBTQIA+ students themselves. I fear that since these bills seemed to easily pass certain state legislatures, what would stop them from raising the “appropriate” age of these initiatives to middle school, or even high school? Would we, say in 10 or 15 years, have a generation of young people, the next generation of adults in our country, who grew up knowing little to nothing about my community, our history, and the ability to show empathy and understanding for those that are different than them? On this day, I am proud to raise awareness of the trans community, and all members of the LGBTQIA+ family, so that we understand the damage that is, and will be done, by continuing down this path of hate and disregard of our fellow people. Everyone should live in peace, freedom, and full equality.
CARRIE NEPTUNE
Manager, MDT Reports
Pharma Intelligence | Meddevicetracker
Although I am not a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, championing the rights of gay, trans, and other members of the community has always been important to me. Over the past few years, a handful of young people in my life have questioned their gender identity or come out as trans, and seeing the impact on them and their families has been profound. Seeing their apprehension when first coming out turn into joy at presenting as their authentic selves over time, seeing their families’ confusion and concern bloom into fierce support with education and experience, seeing the communities surrounding them gain knowledge and form a coalition of acceptance – it’s been beautiful to witness, and I feel privileged to know these brave young folks. That’s not to say they haven’t had their struggles, their share of hurtful comments, people in their lives who don’t accept them, but they are all much happier now than when they weren’t able to fully be themselves.
For previous generations, this road was much less accepting, and much more dangerous, and in many places that’s still true today. For young (or not-yet-out) trans, nonbinary, or other gender-diverse folks, seeing themselves represented in media can be profoundly impactful. Having examples of people who have publicly transitioned and are happy and leading full lives demonstrates that those things are possible for the person who is apprehensive about sharing their identity with the world. Trans Day of Visibility provides an opportunity for those who have “made it” to the other side to extend a hand to those taking their first tentative steps, and show them what is possible.
LEARN MORE
For further information on how to support the trans community as well as the most recent and important issues of the day see the links below:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/transgender-day-visibility
https://nationaltoday.com/transgender-day-visibility/
https://www.them.us/story/dont-say-gay-bill-anti-lgbtq-legislation-florida-idaho
https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbtq-rights-across-country
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