(Transgender* can be an umbrella term referring to multiple identities within the spectrum of gender identity. In this article, we use the word Transgender or Trans to be inclusive of all and any gender identity that is not cis-gender. See Stonewall’s helpful glossary)
Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is a day for joy and celebration. It is an opportunity for trans and non-binary people to feel seen, heard and loved, and for allies to visibly show their solidarity.
Visibility is crucial for trans and non-binary people who can otherwise feel isolated and alienated especially given the volume of negative media coverage and online hate. Indeed, the need to be seen and heard is a universal human experience.
The 2021 census was the first to give people the option to state whether their current gender identity was the same as that which they were assigned at birth.
This historical and affirming step forward for trans and non-binary people means that we know there are at least 262,000 people in the UK who identify as trans, some 0.5% of the population.
While small, this is not an insignificant section of the population and being counted and visible is essential to a community that can often feel hidden. Also census results can be used to allocate public funds which is essential for trans healthcare which is woefully lacking in the UK (indeed the NHS continues to restrict access to gender affirming healthcare in England and Wales).
On this day, and every day, we celebrate and hold space for trans and non-binary people.
Trans rights are human rights
To say it has been a difficult few years for trans and non-binary people in the UK would be a gross understatement. It seems that almost every week there is a report of a transphobic attack, verbal or physical, or of online hatred towards trans and non-binary people.
This year’s TDOV was no exception. Reports circulated of anti-trans tirades on X/twitter on TDOV itself.
Even attempts to protect trans and non-binary people from harassment and hate crimes, such as Scotland’s new hate crime laws, have generated a substantial negative online reaction.
In February this year, two teenagers were handed life sentences for the “exceptionally brutal” and premeditated murder of Brianna Ghey, a young trans girl.
Within weeks of these life sentences being handed down, another trans teenager was stabbed 14 times in London.
In recent years England and Wales have become much less safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people according to official statistics published by the government in November 2023. The statistics revealed that hate crimes based on sexual orientation or transgender identity are most likely to involve violence or threats of violence.
The causes for this are many and varied. In recent years the government has withdrawn its support or trans people and trans rights, while certain sections of the media have fuelled a moral panic, largely about trans-women.
The transphobia experienced by many is often accompanied by misogyny, and as we can see in the US, can also be a proxy for homophobia.
In the US last year, the American Civil Liberties Union tracked over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed with state legislatures, with reports of some 75 becoming law. This year, the number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the US has already reached over 480.
A brighter future
The fight for equality continues as LGBTQ+ rights are being rolled-back and attacked globally.
For TDOV 2024, and for every other day of the year, it is imperative that trans allies step forward to publicly celebrate, honour and advocate for their trans and non-binary friends, relatives and colleagues.
On a wider perspective, we must remember that allowing one form of discrimination enables other forms of inequality, prejudice and hate to flourish. By tackling transphobia, we are creating a more equal and fair society for everyone.
At Kingsley Napley we welcome and encourage applications from members of the LGBTQ+ community. We encourage our colleagues to bring their full selves to work and have policies in place to support anyone who wishes to transition in the workplace. In 2022 Kingsley Napley was named as one of Stonewall’s top employer in their Workplace Equality Index.
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