What is Trans Day of Remembrance?
November 12, 2025
Every year, Trans Awareness Week is a chance to celebrate our trans pride, and for allies to learn how to elevate the voices of our community. November 13 to 19 is a whole week of pride, celebration, education, and allyship.
And then on November 20, we close out the week with Transgender Day of Remembrance.
CW: The following discusses transphobia, and the effects of transphobia on our community.
What is Trans Day of Remembrance?
Trans Day of Remembrance occurs every year on November 20, after the last day of Trans Awareness Week. In contrast with the celebration of pride, and the excited conversations of Trans Awareness Week, Trans Day of Remembrance is a solemn occasion.
It’s a day in which the whole community (including friends, families, and loved ones of trans folk, and allies) honours and remembers those who have lost their lives to transphobic violence, and discrimination. It’s a chance to remember those who blazed trails before us, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
Why do we observe Trans Day of Remembrance?
It’s a solemn and immediate reminder of why days and weeks of significance like Trans Awareness Week or Trans Day of Visibility are so important.
Although things can feel like they’re getting better in so many wonderful ways, there’s no doubt that as a society, there’s still a LOT of work to be done in order to stamp out transphobia. Despite all the progress we've made, all over the world, trans rights are under attack. Ridding the world of transphobia and discrimination is a job for all of us.
It's also a reminder of how much trans joy is also such a powerful form of resistance, and how important community spaces are.
How to mark Trans Day of Remembrance
Attend a Trans Day of Remembrance event or vigil in your city. These are typically solemn events, and an opportunity to reflect. Note that some Trans Day of Remembrance events are spaces for trans and gender diverse community, rather than allies – so keep that in mind when choosing one to attend.
Find a Trans Day of Remembrance event to attend
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