Every year on 20 November, Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) calls us to pause, remember, and refuse to look away. We honour the lives of transgender and gender-diverse people who have been killed through acts of hatred, ignorance, and prejudice. Behind every name is a whole world of relationships, dreams, talents, and potential that has been cut short.

For many trans and gender-diverse people, simply existing in the world can mean moving through it with a heightened sense of risk. Everyday things that others take for granted—using a bathroom, applying for a job, walking down the street, accessing healthcare, going to school—can become sites of fear, humiliation, or danger. Things experienced by many gay men and women in decades past. In other countries this is the daily experience of anyone in the queer community.

Some of the challenges are visible. Trans people experience higher rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination at work, in housing, and in public spaces. Many face rejection from their families, faith communities, or cultural communities, leaving them isolated at the very time they most need support.

Other challenges are less visible but equally devastating. Constant misgendering, erasure, dehumanising media narratives, and debates about their very right to exist take a heavy toll on mental health. For trans people of colour, migrants, disabled people and those from faith backgrounds, the layers of stigma and exclusion can be multiplied.

TDOR is not just about mourning; it is also about responsibility.
It challenges all of us—families, friends, faith communities, workplaces, and allies—to:

  • Listen deeply to trans and gender-diverse voices and experiences.
  • Challenge harmful theology, rhetoric, and practices that contribute to shame, fear and violence.
  • Create safer spaces where trans people can live openly, be respected, and thrive.
  • Stand up publicly against transphobia in our communities, media, and institutions.

At Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI), we affirm the dignity, worth, and sacredness of every transgender and gender-diverse person. On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, we remember those we have lost, stand with those who are still with us, and recommit ourselves to building a world where no one is harmed for being who they are.

May our remembrance move us to action, our grief deepen our compassion, and our solidarity help create futures where trans lives are not only remembered, but cherished and celebrated.