It’s Transgender Day of Remembrance and in honor of those who have passed we cover the origins of TDOR, the many trans people lost to anti-trans violence this last year, and 5 of the biggest misconceptions about the transgender and non-binary communities. If you were not able to make it to a vigil this year then perhaps our small reading will help. And if you’re simply looking for better education on the trans community or ways to be an ally then this episode is packed with good information. Either way anyone can benefit from more awareness. So hit that download and play button and join the conversation! If you’re listening to our episode the day that it drops – on Wednesday November 20th, then you’re listening on the Transgender Day of Remembrance. This national day of observance was founded 20 years ago today in 1999 and was created reated by trans woman and queer activist, Gwendolyn Ann Smith. Smith had been active in the trans rights movement during the early 1990s, starting one of the first online public forums for transgender people. She also wrote articles and various online blogs before finding her current position as a columnist for the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco. But Gwendolyns most lasting legacy will no doubt be her organization of TDOR – Transgender Day of Remembrance.  The idea for the ceremony was sparked by the murder of Rita Hester. A black trans woman who was stabbed to death in her own apartment in Allston, Massachuesettes on November 28, 1998. Immediately after her death, friends and family organized a candlelight vigil to remember Rita which drew around 250 people in attendance. Just one month before Rita’s murder, Matthew Shepard had also been gruesomely killed. Yet unlike the non-stop media coverage of Matthew’s death, as well as the quick capture and conviction of his killers, Rita’s murder was relatively ignored by news stations and her case has never been solved. A black transgender woman dying seemed of little concern to the nation, including many of the larger LGBT organizations who had capitalized on the spotlight surrounding Matthew’s death. Outraged by the neglect and apathy over Rita’s murder, Gwendolyn Smith put her graphic design skills to work and created the website Remembering Our Dead. Which listed the names and death of transgender people from 1970 – 1998.  The following year on November 20, 1999, Smith organized the first offical Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil. Today over 200 cities and countries around the world observe this practice. In 2017 Canada became the first country to officially declare TDOR as a national day of remembrance. The ceremonies and services surrounding the day will vary from area to area. There is no required format, though most do include the candlelight vigil. As for those remembered, the official Transgender Day of Remembrance website only recognizes those lost to anti-trans violence in the past year. However, in some communities organizers may choose to include other transgender individuals who passed from other forms of death. We encourage you to see what events may be held tonight or the rest of the week in observance of TDOR. But in addition to the awareness brought on by the annual vigil, the research and information available on trans issues as a whole has only increased and grown with time. As has some of the mis-information about the community. Today we are going to discuss five of the most common myths and misconceptions surrounding trans people. As well as some of the wonderful facts about the community. And we will end the podcast with a list of transgender people murdered in America during 2019 as a tribute to them and to Transgender Day of Remembrance. So let’s start with some common misconceptions. Misconception #1: What Is a Trangender Person – A transgender person is someone who’s gender identity or gender expression is not in agreement with their biological sex or...