Irish queer community set to mark Trans Day of Remembrance 

Occurring on Sunday, November 20, the day rounds off Transgender Awareness Week.

Community . Written by Nicole Lee.

Group of protestors hold Protect Trans Youth sign and this week is transgender awareness week.
Image: Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

Trans Day of Remembrance takes place on Sunday, November 20, with the Irish queer community set to mark the occasion across the weekend. Founded in 1999, the day serves as an opportunity to remember and memorialise members of the trans community who were victims of transphobic violence.

It comes at the end of Transgender Awareness Week, which is celebrated from November 13-19. On Saturday, November 19, Dublin-based folk can attend a protest in the afternoon, followed by an evening memorial ceremony, while on Sunday, they can enjoy fabulous film event hosted by Small Trans Library.

Trans Day of Remembrance Protest

Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin will be protesting at the Dáil from 2pm on November 19. Together, trans people and allies will bring attention to prominent issues that need addressing, and take a stand against the discrimination and violence that impact the community.

In recent years, there has been a concerning increase in transphobic violence across the world. In Ireland, there has been a dangerous spike in violence against trans people as well as a rise of transphobia in the media as right-wing movements seek to intimidate and revoke the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

Earlier this year, Trans and Intersex Pride led a protest march through Dublin for the first time since 2019, demanding trans healthcare, bodily autonomy, and safety for trans youth and adults. As a community, LGBTQ+ people are being urged to take a stand, support our trans brothers and sisters, and vocally resist the increase in violence.

Transgender Ceremony of Remembrance

On the evening of November 19, the Transgender Ceremony of Remembrance will take place in the Unitarian Church at Stephens Green, Dublin 2. The event is co-organised by trans rights activists, Lynda Sheridan and Sara R Phillips who is Chair of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI).

Sheridan describes the motivations behind the event by saying, “This remembrance was inspired by people whom I met, and some who have died simply because of gender identity…We are real people with real good decent lives, families we love, jobs we try to keep, trying to live without fear and misunderstanding…we were simply assigned the wrong gender at birth based on outdated methods of gender identity.”

Beginning at 8pm, the evening will include music, poetry, and conversations, and refreshments will be served.

Small Trans Film Club screening

If you can’t attend proceedings on Saturday, the Small Trans Film Club is offering an inaugural free screening of Trans films on Sunday, November 20. They will be showing a selection of Irish short films created by trans artists. The films will tell stories including “recollections of youth in years gone, fights for survival in the present, and reconnections between the past traditions and future generations of Irish culture.” The screening is available both in-person and online, with 50 in-person tickets available.

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