Transgender Day of Remembrance honors lives lost 

Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed annually on Nov. 20. It is a day to mourn, honor, and remember the transgender people who were murdered because of their gender identity or expression. It is also a time to recognize and remember the lives cut short as a result of mistreatment by the medical system, criminal justice system or law enforcement, or social pressures and self-loathing leading to suicide. Many transgender people are misidentified, misgendered, or their cases are not reported at all. Trans women of color are disproportionately targeted.

To everyone who is mourning the loss of a loved one this year: our thoughts are with you. 

“Student Affairs is committed to listening to and centering trans voices at UW–Madison and advocating for policy changes and practices that are fully inclusive,” said Gabe Javier, associate vice chancellor for student affairs – identity and inclusion. “We have made good progress, but there’s still much to do. This is one way we can honor those who are no longer with us — to make space for communities on campus to be their full, authentic selves.”   

Partners within Student Affairs offer resources, support services, and community for LGBTQ+ students to help all Badgers feel welcome and to discover their sense of belonging.  

Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) supports LGBTQ+ students and their communities. The GSCC is hosting its annual Trans Monologues 2021 on Thursday, Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m., at the Madison Public Central Library and virtually on Zoom. Please join to uplift and celebrate trans voices and experiences at this community event! The event is free and open to the public. 

The GSCC also hosts the GSCC Discord, a virtual community space with a trans/genderqueer (TGQ)-specific conversation channel. 

University Health Services
It is important to recognize the complexities transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) Badgers face, ranging from the joy that can come from living as one’s authentic self to the pain caused by interlocking systems of oppression, prejudice, and violence. University Health Services has resources for support around experiences of transphobia and opportunities to be in community, today and throughout the year.  

UHS Medical and Mental Health Services use what is known as an ”informed consent model” to start gender-affirming hormones (sometimes referred to as hormone replacement therapy). Students do not need a referral or readiness letter from a mental health provider to start gender-affirming hormones. UHS has a team of providers in the Trans Health Clinic who can answer questions about hormones and work with students to meet their goals.  

Mental Health Services offers individual counseling and identity-based support and empowerment groups for students who identify as TGNC. They also have providers with special expertise addressing issues that TGNC students often experience. 

UHS providers understand that oppression and marginalization have significant links to health care disparities. UHS’s collaboration with the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center is an example of how services can change and adapt to better meet the needs of individuals who are members of historically underrepresented communities. By listening to these communities, following their lead, honoring strategies used within these communities, collaborating, working to understand the impact of oppression on health care disparities, and actively working to eliminate bias in its delivery of healthcare, their hope is to create health care homes for students who may not have previously felt welcomed or cared for. 

Additional campus and community resources  

Learn more about Trans Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19) and find resources for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people and their allies through this article from the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement (DDEEA).