The University of Oregon is raising awareness for Transgender Week of Celebration by placing signs on campus displaying statistics such as, “There are over 700,000 transgender people in the U.S.” and “19 percent of trans people experience domestic violence at the hands of a family member because of their transgender identity or gender non-conformity,” along 13th Ave.
“[Trans Week] really helps spread awareness and create empowerment,” trans female activist in Greek Life Lexi Bergeron said. “A lot of what I’ve seen come out of my community is people empowered to be themselves and be out for a week.”
Trans Week of Celebration began on Nov. 14 and has included events such as Trans and Gender Nonconforming Poetry Slam/Speak Out, Trans Clothing Exchange, and ally trainings. The week of celebration concludes on Trans Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, with a vigil beginning at 3 p.m. in the Hult Center Studio 1.
“Trans Day of Remembrance is a memorial for those who have lost their lives due to transphobia over the last year,” said Jesse Quinn, UO’s Interim Assistant Director of the LGBT Education and Support Services. “We light a candle for each name, we recite them aloud, and we have a profile on some. It is a pretty long list unfortunately,” Quinn said.
“With the amount of trans suicides and trans murders, particularly focused on the trans members of color, there is such a rampant rate of them we try to make that space to remember them and acknowledge that is happening,” Bergeron said. “There is a lot of suicide in the [trans] community and we want to try and show solidarity behind that and show there are other ways.”
In addition to remembrance, empowerment, and celebration of the trans community this week, Trans Week of Celebration hopes to educate on how to be an ally and how to effectively support people who are trans non-binary, LGTBESS outreach coordinator and Asexual Aromantic group facilitator Lilly Bonasera explained.
“Allyship isn’t something you proclaim. So, when you’re an ally, make sure you’re remaining educated in the process, you’re engaging in different social movements and you’re interrupting oppression as it occurs,” Quinn said.
“Ask if you can ask a question before asking a question. Don’t assume people are trans even if they are visibly trans, and don’t assume people are binary. There is a whole spectrum of trans just like there is a whole spectrum of gender,” Bergeron said to provide ally professional tips.
With efforts to support and create a safe space for the trans community, the University of Oregon has continuously been ranked within the top 10 trans friendly institutions across the nation by Campus Pride, a system that many institutions provide information for, explained Quinn.
The trans healthcare team at the UO is remarkable, Bergeron said.
“We already do a pretty good job,” said Bergeron about UO and the trans community. “It’s in social spaces we lack.”
Students and the community are welcome to the Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil to participate in Trans Week of Celebration events.
“I think that’s the goal, to get people there because that would show they care,” Bergeron said.