Trans Day of Remembrance: Vigils you can attend across the UK
A person holding a candle and a trans flag. (Getty)
Trans Day of Remembrance takes place on Wednesday (20 November) and hundreds of vigils are set to take place across the UK.
The day, first marked in 1999, honours the memory of people who have been murdered in acts of transphobic violence. Vigils will be held across the world, particularly in the US and UK, and guest speakers will read out the names of those who have died.
The day of remembrance began after Rita Hester, a Black trans woman, was murdered in Allston Massachusetts in 1998. Members of the LGBTQ+ community came together for a candlelight vigil to honour her memory and condemn the rise of homophobic and transphobic violence in the US.
The vigil inspired the “Remembring Our Dead” project, which eventually culminated in the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The day follows Transgender Awareness Week. Here are a few of the biggest vigils taking place in the UK this year.
Soho, London
A candlelight vigil is set to take place in Soho, London between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.
Hosted by LGBTQ+ charity Not A Phase, the event, which aims to be the largest trans vigil in the UK, will feature guest speakers including community leaders from across the country.
It will also feature a performance from Pink Singers, Europe’s longest-running LGBTQIA+ choir. Not A Phase is also planning vigils in Bute Park, Cardiff, Sackville Gardens, Manchester, and Duke Street, in the Kent town of Margate.
“Over the past 12 months, we have once again tragically lost people globally to anti-trans+ violence,” the charity’s chief executive, Danielle St James, said. “Our vigils provide a moment to come together, to light candles and take time to honour these lives.
“Even with the sombre tone of this event, we are so grateful to be able to cultivate a comforting and united space to be together each year.”
Reading
Reading Pride’s memorial is considered by many to be one of the key vigils each year.
Beginning at 7pm inside the student’s union building at the University of Reading, the event will feature a number of speeches, including from TransActual’s managing director Helen Belcher and the mayor, Glenn Dennis.
While the event is free, Reading Pride suggests a £2 donation ticket to help support the organisation and future vigils.
“The vigil holds deep significance as we honour the lives of those lost to anti-trans violence, especially the disproportionate impact on trans people of colour, particularly Black trans women,” the event’s page says.
“Since its first vigil in 2015, this event has united the trans community and allies in remembrance, solidarity and the ongoing fight for equality and rights locally, in the UK and globally.”
There is also an online format for those unable to attend.
Manchester
Hosted in collaboration with Not A Phase, Sparkle, Trans Creative and Manchester Pride, The Proud Place’s indoor vigil will be held in Sidney Street, beginning at 4pm.
While the candlelight vigil takes place at 6pm, there is an option for a pre-vigil social space for the community to meet and socialise. Free hot drinks will be available and there is a microwave for those wanting to bring food.
An online live stream will also be available between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets for this can be obtained here.
A post-vigil space to unwind will be available at 8.30pm in the Proud Place LGBTQ+ Community Centre.
Online
For those who can’t make it to a vigil or have accessibility difficulties, the Open Table Network has planned an online-only observation.
Beginning at 6pm, the event will be hosted on Zoom, and a link will be available upon request through the network’s email, found here. The vigil will “not watch a video of the names of those who have died, as some find this distressing”, a spokesperson said.
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