In its 15th year, Trans Day of Visibility shows there is much to celebrate, but amid discriminatory politics that curtail transgender rights and rising online misinformation, there’s an urgent call for change
Elon Musk is publicly denouncing his own trans child, Donald Trump is attempting to ban trans people from the military and JK Rowling is still blasting the cast of Harry Potter for sticking up for trans women – it’s clear we still need International Transgender Day of Visibility more than ever. But what is the day about and how should we celebrate?
It all started fifteen years ago, when American transgender psychotherapist Rachel Crandall-Crocker thought: what if there was a day to purely celebrate trans and nonbinary people? There was already Trans Remembrance Day which is held annually on 20th November, but that is a day for mourning trans lives lost. There is Pride Month, but that is about the entire LGBTQ+ community. Rachel wanted a day that would bring trans identities together in a celebration of who they are, as well as to highlight the societal hardships they still face.
READ MORE: Mum of trans daughter who took her own life calls on people to ‘speak out’ on key issue
By societal hardships, activists are literally talking about life and death. Compared to cisgender people, trans people in England and Wales are twice as likely to be the victims of violent crime. And the problem only appears to be worsening. According to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project, 350 trans and gender diverse people were murdered in the UK in 2024 – a significant increase based on 2023 figures, which saw a death toll of 321.
Healthcare also poses a significant issue. The NHS recently banned the sale of puberty blockers, a crucial part of trans treatment, to under-18s – which many activists argue is putting young trans people at risk. A study conducted shortly after the ban found that, within a few weeks, it had led to a sharp decline in trans and nonbinary children’s mental health.
For Carmen Liu, the CEO of Carmen Liu Lingerie, Transgender Day of Visibility is about raising awareness over the growing challenges trans people face. “It’s also a day to honour our history, remembering those we’ve lost and are still losing every year, as well as those who fought for our rights before us,” she explains.
Speaking with the Mirror about how she will be spending today, she says: “I keep my celebrations simple, I get glammed up and make sure I’m visible out in the world.” She is keen to help support the trans community, so for today she also offers a special discount on her lingerie collections.
Jake and Hannah Graf are one of the UK’s most prominent transgender couples, who, like Carmen, celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility. Based on their experience, one of the greatest aspects of the day is that it gives trans people the opportunity to speak out and be heard. According to them: “It offers a chance to reflect and to challenge any misconceptions they may have by hearing the stories of those who are directly impacted by transphobia and discrimination.”
They say that one of the most pressing problems trans people face now is the “relentless misinformation” – which they feel receives little counterbalance, and which can lead to very real consequences. If you’ve been watching the news, the fearmongering over transness and gender nonconformity is rife.
One of the most harrowing incidents occurred during last year’s Olympics, which saw Algeria’s Imane Khelif falsely accused of being a transgender woman and suffering mass bullying online after winning gold. Bathrooms have also provided a heated ground for debate, with some politicians reinforcing the idea by arguing that “sex means biological sex”. Last year, British PM Kier Starmer stated that transgender women did not have the right to use female lavatories, despite identifying as women.
To help combat this surge of misinformation, the couple have launched a photography campaign called Trans Is Human, which is currently still on display at Westfield London shopping centre until April 2nd. Jake and Hannah say, “The exhibition shines a light on some ordinary humans doing extraordinary things – they just happen to be trans.”
So, how can you help? Leading charity for trans kids Mermaids UK encourages cisgender people to show their support. They said: “It is heartening… that more and more people are showing up with love and support for the trans community. Whether that’s attending protests, or writing to their MPs to demand that trans youth can access the timely and holistic healthcare that they are entitled to, what’s visible to us this Trans Day of Visibility is the incredible allyship of so many.”
To help combat prejudice, Mermaids have also launched a new training module for trans inclusion in the workplace, which anyone can take part in. They explained: “This new course is designed to meet the growing desire from the public for expert knowledge and confidence to empower trans people.”
