Say their names. was a mother, a sister, a friend and a queen, who welcomed everyone with open arms and helped humans and animals as much as she could.

Say her name.

was a great human being, a great trans ambassador friend of the state of Guanajuato.

Say her name.

was a local community leader and activist who campaigned against violence and for better understanding of transgender people.

Say her name.

These women are three of the known to have been murdered this year, with 2021 being called for trans and gender diverse people.

Say their names.

Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR), held annually on 20 November, is a day for us to honour the memories of Samylla, Devanny, Sumana and the many others lost in acts of anti-trans violence. It’s a day to acknowledge the hate and daily discrimination faced by and around the world - and how that impacts us, our relationships, families or when trying to access work, housing, healthcare, and education. It’s a day to be mindful that  are seen by some as up for debate, with arguments that were used against gay people in the 70s and 80s being recycled to present trans people as a threat.   

I’d like to invite you to take a moment to remember and reflect on the lived experiences of trans and gender diverse people - whether you're part of this community, an ally or someone who has just heard about TDoR for the first time. TDoR comes at the end of so it's also a time to reflect on what we do in our work or daily life to respect the rights and dignity of trans and gender diverse people, appreciate and celebrate the variety of cultures in this world, and work towards the fair and adequate provision of services for all – and recommit to this for another year. The Good Practice across the Counselling Professions resource on Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity may be useful to support this work, as well as some of the other links listed on this page.   

Views expressed in this article are the views of the writer and not necessarily the views of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ. Publication does not imply endorsement of the writer’s views. Reasonable care has been taken to avoid errors but no liability will be accepted for any errors that may occur.