Every year, transgender persons, their friends, and friends take a moment to enjoy trans joy and acknowledge the power, ferocity, and elegance of the transgender and nonbinary area.
Celebrated around the world on March 31, the Transgender Day of Visibility, or TDOV, was created in 2009 after Rachel Crandall- Crocker, a Michigan- based therapist, became “upset that the only day we had was Transgender Day of Remembrance”, a day when the group mourns the deaths of their transgender and intersex relatives.
Trans Day of Visibility is a day when the group acknowledges” that there are transgender people living life and experiencing life, and succeeding and doing well — in spite of the death, [and ] the really tragic archaic laws that are there really remove us from our existence,” according to Tori Cooper, producer for the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative.
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The rise of trans voices seems more urgent than ever in this year as a result of the rise in legislative attacks on transgender rights and the rise of anti-trans violence in the United States. The trans pride flag has been raised throughout the week during TDOV celebrations all over the country. However, events on March 31, which happens to fall on Easter Sunday, have been scaled down,” simply out of respect for folks to observe the religious holiday”, Cooper said.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of opportunities to celebrate trans joy at TDOV events this weekend in the city:
Saturday
Brooklyn
The Marsha P. Johnson State Park, a waterfront park in Williamsburg named in honor of the late LGBTQ rights hero, is sticking to its annual tradition of hosting an afternoon of entertainment and fun for Visibility Day. The park is inviting the public to learn more about trans history and the park’s namesake this year. A performance by Drag Story Hour NY, followed by sessions of crafts and education, will keep younger attendees entertained. The Blue Park House will host the all-ages event near the park’s front entrance. Registration required. 2 pm.
Manhattan
The Leslie- Lohman Museum of Arts is hosting a conversation on visual arts led by The Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Collective, a New York City-based nonprofit that aims to connect Black trans women through the arts by creating spaces for the production and preservation of Black trans art and culture. Moderated by Jordyn Jay, BTFA Collective’s founder and executive director, the panel will bring together three Brooklyn- based artists: ms. z tye, Ava Tuitt, and Eve Harlow. Leslie Lohman Museum of Art, 26 Wooster St. at 4 p. m.
White Plains / Virtual
The White Plains-based nonprofit LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center, which has been providing services to the LGBTQ community in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for over 40 years, is celebrating the occasion with an event for the trans and nonbinary community and their friends in New York and beyond. A Zoom-powered discussion about the history of TDOV and its significance today will be led by Tony Arrien, who has facilitated the center’s transgender peer support group since 2015. $ 5 suggested donation. 5: 30 p. m. to 7: 30 p. m.
Sunday
Brooklyn
The annual Wig and Clothing Drive is returning for the Black transgender and non-binary people of color in New York City, thanks to The Brooklyn GHOST Project, a Black trans-led nonprofit that supports transgender and non-binary people of color. The event is organized in the name of the organization, which stands for Guiding and Helping Others Survive Transition, in order to” show the world we are here to stay” and raise awareness of Trans Day of Visibility. The event is open to all ages, but it is geared toward the trans community. 3 p. m. at the Brooklyn Pride Center in Crown Heights, 1561 Bedford Ave.
Manhattan
Transgender Jewish leaders are expressing their experiences and stories of hope, resiliency, and joy as they celebrate their identities in a time of unprecedented attacks on the trans and nonbinary communities. The 92nd Street Y, a well-known cultural and community center celebrating its 150th anniversary, and Keshet, a group that promotes full LGBTQ equality and inclusion in Jewish life, are the hosts of the event. The day will be concluded by a musical performance by multi-talented performer Dot Rose Levine. Tickets start at$ 10.2 p. m. 92NY, 1395 Lexington Ave.
