Recognizing Transgender Awareness Month
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By LGBTQ&A Employee Resource Group
November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time for education, advocacy and celebration of the community.
On Nov. 2 the Board of Supervisors honored local advocate Connor Maddocks with a Board Proclamation for his work in the community. Connor retired from the LGBT Center as their Project Trans coordinator, where he organized resources for and educational programming about the transgender community. He has also volunteered with San Diego Pride and supported work by a number of other local and national organizations.
While we celebrate the efforts made to support our community, we know there is much more to be done. Tragically, 2021 has already seen at least 46 transgender or gender non-conforming people killed by violent means* across the United States, the majority of them BIPOC transgender women.
Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance, an occasion to honor those who have lost their lives to violent hate crimes. Locally, there will be a candlelight vigil at the County Administration Center’s Waterfront Park at sundown. The LGBTQ&Allies ERG arranged for the CAC to be lit in the colors of the Transgender Pride Flag to mark the occasion. The visibility this lighting provides is a small step to bring awareness to a grim reality for one of the most vulnerable populations in our society.
It is incumbent upon all of us with privilege to use our power to do more.
To learn more about intersectionality and the realities of transgender people, read the words of some of the County’s own employees in this article.
If you want to get involved, please visit these organizations: