A UCLA study puts the US transgender population around 700,000 people — around 0.3%. Given that, Capitol Hill’s healthy population of trans people is even more remarkable. For more numbers on the Pacific Northwest transgender population, this study (PDF) from Seattle’s Ingersoll Gender Center is a worthy read and a valuable education. The survey reveals that some 30% of trans respondents say they have been a victim of a hate crime. Tuesday night, the misunderstanding and violence that trans people face will be marked with a gathering at E Pike’s Queer Youth Space and vigil — if the rain stops long enough to keep the candles lit — in Cal Anderson Park.

Here are details via UW’s Q Center:

In Collaboration with Seattle U & Queer Youth Space: TDOR 2012
Trans* Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is a time set aside each year to memorialize those killed due to transphobia. TDOR is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder in 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most trans* murder cases — has yet to be solved. Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender/trans*, each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender and gender non-conforming people.

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This candlelight vigil will be a space to show our love and respect for those murdered due to hatred and transphobia while celebrating the lives led by trans* folks— this will be a space for our Seattle transgender/trans* and allied communities to mourn & heal collectively.

Participants are more than welcome and encouraged to bring a poem, song, prayer, or loving words.

NOV 20th 5m-8pm

Meet at Queer Youth Space:
911 E Pike, 202
Seattle, Washington 98122
[QYS is a youth-led and youth-run nonprofit organization that provides the space, tools, and resources queer young people need to be effective leaders, organizers, and advocates.]

• Food will be served
• Creating an altar where we can remember people who we’ve lost to institutional violence as well (lack of access to healthcare, mental health svc, housing, mistreatment in services/ schools/ jobs, etc)
• Healing Circle– Sound Healing with Zenyu Director Christine Guiao
• Lighting candles to close and walking/rolling/driving over to Cal Anderson (for community visibility)

Folks are welcome to bring item donations or monetary donations for QYS