International Transgender Day Of Visibility Goes Online Due To COVID-19 Lockdowns

With the world on lockdown for the Coronavirus, International Transgender Day of Visibility, or TDOV, is looking a little different this year. In 2019, this day of awareness for an overlooked community was celebrated with local gatherings and events. In 2020, the lockdowns for COVID-19 is keeping the conversation online with trending twitter topics, live streams, and social media conversations across the globe.

Activists are sharing their stories online through interviews, virtual meetups, and online campaigns to keep the day’s significance in the spotlight. These stories share the hardships that those who are transgender and non-binary have experienced.

“I had a terrible childhood. I realized that I was a woman when I was still young, but my family never accepted it. When I was 13, they threw me out because of my sexual orientation. I started sleeping rough on the streets of Santo Domingo and taking psychoactive substances. The transitioning process to become a trans woman was very hard for me.” – Nairovi Castillo, Interview with Time

Conversely, some conservative politicians are acting against the rights of those who are non-binary and transgender. They are passing bills that fly in the face of the constitution that protects rights for equal treatment. From banning transgender women from participating in sports to preventing birth certificates from changing, bills were signed by Idaho governor, Brad Little, without statement.

Despite these aggressive acts, advocates for transgender rights are not backing down. Ambulance workers in Queensland, Australia, are showing support through posting photos with a trans flag. Many websites, influencers, and average users are promoting awareness through their own photos, hashtags, and written support. It’s certainly not the same as gathering by hundreds for a celebration, but they’re making the best of things in unusual times.

If you want to support those who are transgender and non-binary, there are suggestions from multiple advocate sites that give ideas. Some of these include:

• Joining in on social media campaigns – post your own story, the story of a friend or loved one, and share media coverage links.
• Use your hashtags. #TDOV #transgender #transrights #trans
• Educate your friends and family with reliable information from non-biased sources.
• Create a poster or print a pre-made flier and hang in your window.
• Write a post for an advocacy website like Q42 – then share it online.
• Share and watch the TDOV livestream on Facebook today at 7:30 pm EST.