NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA TRANSGENDER ACTION COALITION
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The Niagara Transgender Action Coalition calls upon all allies to support members of Niagara's transgender community by participating in two events celebrating the International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) on March 28 and 31.
Trans Day of Visibility is observed annually on March 31 to honour the joy and resilience of trans and nonbinary communities. This year, we gather to celebrate and show solidarity, despite the vicious attacks threatening the health and basic human rights of trans people in the United States and Canada. Over the past few weeks, we have seen the Trump administration attack trans people – restricting their access to healthcare, banning their identities, and repealing their civil rights. Here in Canada, provinces are ending gender affirming care for young people as well as barring them from using chosen names and pronouns.
“The situation is critical,” says Colleen McTiguen, facilitator of the Transgender Niagara support group.
“Even in places where the laws have not (yet) been changed, cisgender women who have masculine traits are being accosted by police in washrooms because they are assumed to be transgender. We are seeing signs that these attitudes are becoming more prevalent here in Canada as well. The fact is, transgender women are women. Transgender men are men. If our rights are eroded, the rights of others will be also.”
At this crucial time, we call upon the Niagara community to demonstrate their support for us as we remain resilient, joyful and unapologetic while celebrating TDOV with our allies.
Please join us for two events:
- Friday March 28 - Art & Sign making - 7-9 p.m. - Silver Spire United Church, St Catharines
- Monday March 31
- Flag Raising - 3:30 p.m. - St. Catharines City Hall
- Trans Solidarity & Celebration March - 5 p.m. - Gather at St. Catharines City Hall
“This day is about being loud and visible as trans people and celebrating together, and we need people of all genders to be loud and celebrate with us,” says Mo Constantine Of Niagara Reproductive Justice, a member group of NTAC.
“As conditions for trans people deteriorate in Canada and the U.S., now is the time to come out and get to know your community and make it clear that we won’t stand for attacks against trans people in Niagara or anywhere.”
For more information about these events, please see our webpage.
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