Monday is Transgender Day of Visibility but about 150 people watched as the transgender flag was raised at Calgary city hall Sunday afternoon.
This is a day to honour transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people who face discrimination and violence.
In Calgary, one community organizer is pleased to see how much love and acceptance is growing for this community.
“While we have seen increased attacks on this community we have seen even more outpouring of support in our fight for legal rights,” says Victoria Bucholtz. “Every time I turn around more people are asking how can I get more involved how can I be a good ally to this community.”
“Trans folks have always been part of our community and they always will be,” says mayor Jyoti Gondek. “They make this a better city with their contributions to the arts, their contributions to in the business community and academia and virtually everything we do so it’s an important day to recognize them.”
After the flag was raised at city hall the group took a short walk down Stephen Avenue before closing the event with a drag show.
More celebrations are expected Monday throughout the city and the Calgary Tower will be lit up in trans colours Monday night.
The first international Transgender Day of Visibility was held on March 31, 2009.
The event was created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall Crocker of Michigan as a reaction to the lack of LGBTQ+ recognition of transgender people.
