Transgender Awareness Week memorialises victims of transphobic abuse running from 13th to the 19th of November.
This leads up to Transgender Day of Remembrance. This was commemorated in Sheffield this Saturday in the Winter Gardens from 5 to 7pm.
Olivia Blake, the Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam, tweeted in support of this saying: “As discrimination and abuse of the Trans community grows, so must our efforts to address issues members of the Trans community face and fight for a world free from transphobia. This week and every week, Trans rights are human rights.”
The event honoured transgender people who have lost their lives to transphobia.
The hosts of this event were LGBT Sheffield and city LGBT+ youth charity SAYiT.
In Sheffield, there has been a 41% increase in transphobic hate crimes in the last few years. Sheffield City Council recently left the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme, which helped protect LGBTQ+ staff in the workplace.
Transgender Awareness Week is all about educating the public on who transgender people are, sharing their stories and experiences. As well as advocating for legislative change around issues of prejudice, discrimination and violence.
