Edmonton events highlight 'joy' and 'resilience' on International Transgender Day of Visibility
Members of the local trans community gathered Sunday to celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
According to GLAAD, the holiday was created by trans advocate Rachel Crandall in 2009, to combat the disproportion of media stories on transgender people that were focused on violence.
At City Centre's Landmark theatre, a documentary screening was held, followed by guest speakers, performances and a panel discussion with community leaders.
Organizer Adebayo Chris Katiiti, founder of Raricanow, a human rights organization for Black LGBTQ2S+ people, said the event was about amplifying and honouring trans voices.
"Today really is a very incredible day, we get to celebrate our existence. We get to show people that we are here," Katiiti said. "We are part of the community, we are part of society."
Katiiti said it's a day of celebration, but it's also a time to call attention to the violence and discrimination that LGBTQ2S+ people continue to face around the world.
"Just because people refuse to see us, refuse to know who we are, or go on making policies because of ideologies," Katiiti said.
"It is still a call to everybody out there to really see trans people as human beings," he added. "Because we are human and trans rights are human rights."
It's important to send a strong message to trans and non-binary youth in Alberta who may be under extra pressure from impending legislation that would limit their access to certain gender-affirming treatments.
The legislation, which includes policies on pronouns in school, gender-affirming care and trans participation in sports, was announced by Premier Danielle Smith in February.
"You are who you are, and you are enough, and no policy can take that away from you," Katiiti said. "Come as you are, be your authentic self … and love yourself, live your life in joy."
Marni Panas, a community advocate and speaker at the event, said the months since the new legislation was announced have been difficult for many trans people, making it all the more important to take time to highlight the positive.
"We're facing a lot of backlash in the community, toward the community from government policies, from the broader community," Panas said. "This is an important time to come together to celebrate all the amazing gifts, and perspectives and energies that our community brings."
A rally was held at Dr. Wilbert Mcintyre Park in Old Strathcona Sunday evening, feauring several keynote speakers and a vigil.
Organizer Rowan Morris said the event was an opportunity for young gender-diverse people to feel empowered by the the strength, resilience and power of the community.
"You google trans identities and the first thing that comes up is somebody who has lost their family, somebody who has passed away, somebody who has gone through something traumatic," Morris said.
"Being able to see a speaker list of accomplished individuals, all from gender-diverse communities, is what's going to enable the youth today to know that they can grow up and do that themselves."
The Transgender Day of Visibility is seperate from the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20, which honours trans victims of violence.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's William Eltherington
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.