Today is International Trans Day of Visibility.  Today is a day to celebrate and honour all of the incredible contributions trans, nonbinary, and Two-Spirit people have made, and continue to make, to our communities.

We know that feelings of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty are high right now, as we are all being directly impacted by the global pandemic of Covid-19. At WAVAW, we are firm believers that in times of fear, we need radical hope and space to emotionally connect with each other through celebration. 

We also believe that right now, we need to look to the trans community for leadership. 

One of the most powerful things to come from our 3-year Inclusion Project is the way that the trans community has shifted and enhanced our understanding of feminism. 

One impactful way our lens has expanded is through witnessing how trans communities, in the absence of access to formalized sexual assault support services, have been taking care of one another with community support, care, empathy and compassion. 

This sort of community care is a skill and value that is proving to be essential and lifesaving right now.

Trans & queer people have always been at the forefront of emerging community care practices because for a long time, community support was the only care that they had access too.

We’re seeing trans & queer folks mobilizing to support their neighbours and networks with help getting groceries and medication to folks who are in quarantine, or who are unable to leave their house due to accessibility issue or because they are immunocompromised.

And we are seeing Canadians across the country follow in their footsteps. Small businesses are offering free or discounted meals to people in need, book stores are making deliveries to people in quarantine, neighbours are sharing food and goods with each other. 

We may be physically distant, but we are in this together.
 
So today, we celebrate the trans community for teaching us how to show up for each other, how to support each other, and how to build strength and resilience in the face of adversity. 

Happy Trans Day of Visibility. Celebrate by checking in on your friends and family, sharing your resources, and lifting up your neighbours. 

In Solidarity,

Felix G.
Inclusion Project Coordinator