Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2009 – Nov 20

Gay Pride Virginia is a proud Sponsor of the Richmond Transgender Day of Remembrance, 2009 – taking place on Nov. 20^th at the Richmond Friends Meeting House (4500 Kensington Ave., Richmond VA 23221) at 7pm.

 

Annually on Nov. 20, the Transgender Day or Remembrance honors the memory of those whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence. When this effort was first undertaken in 1999, the rate of such deaths was roughly one per month. In recent years, that statistic has nearly doubled, to 20+ per year. The date is significant as the anniversary of the death of Rita Hester, a transgender woman whose life was cut short just weeks following the gay bashing death of Matthew Shepard. Whereas the Shepard case generated national press coverage and an unprecedented outcry against such violence, Ms. Hester was relegated to relative obscurity. To date, her murder remains an unsolved crime.

 

The Day or Remembrance is an international observance, with events planned in hundreds of cities across five continents. This year’s presentation in Richmond includes speakers who will address issues of violence facing the transgender community and readings by select individuals providing the name and a brief biography of one of the transgender persons murdered since last November 20. It is a time to come together, honor those lost individuals, and address this important issue within our community. Please join us on November 20 at the Richmond Friends Meeting House (4500 Kensington Ave., Richmond VA 23221) at 7pm.