Today, March 31, is International Transgender Day of Visibility! This day is observed around the world as a way of celebrating trans and non-binary people by centering their contributions to society, elevating their voices, and drawing attention to the discrimination they face.
The Women’s and Gender Studies Program, Gender and Sexuality Equity Center, Multicultural Student Programs and Services, and the Office of Student Wellness & Well-being join together in solidarity and support for trans members of our community at CofC, and across the Charleston area and the U.S. South.
We are collectively opposed to the harmful attacks against trans people whether those originate in legislation and the carceral system, in reckless media coverage, on college campuses, or in family units. These actions are fundamentally about eradicating trans existence.
We are firmly against efforts to criminalize gender affirming and supportive medical care, the exclusion of trans children from sports, and efforts to outlaw the discussion of LGBTQ+ people and their experiences in our schools.
Trans people have existed for all of human history. Before Europeans colonized the globe, indigenous communities across the world acknowledged and celebrated multiple gender identities. Colonization redefined culture, identities, values, and norms, and imposed the European ideal of gender (man and woman) as a tool for the process of oppression. Despite the visibility that once existed, transgender people have been pushed to the margins and their experiences erased.
Our collective offices are working to change this. We are here to support, affirm, and elevate the voices of our trans community. We are committed to and invested in combating disinformation, drawing attention to the epidemic of violence against trans women of color, and ensuring the inclusion of trans voices in our classrooms, policies, and campus leadership. We are here to provide support through student programming, peer and professional support services, academic courses, and the facilitation of a number of trainings, workshops, and talks that make trans people and trans experiences visible.
Together we want our trans students, faculty, and staff to know that we see you. You matter. You are loved. You belong.
For more information on campus LGBTQ+ resources and information you can visit:
https://libguides.library.cofc.edu/lgbtq
https://libguides.library.cofc.edu/c.php?g=1016721&p=7364508
DT: Yes, definitely. So, queer anarchy is, in essence, studying how your identity as a gay person or a trans person, is an act of rebellion against the state. So, for example, in my research for this paper, I learned that the City of Charleston, back in the seventeenth century, used to outlaw dressing of an opposite sex, which obviously is transphobic inherently but even racist as it dates back to origins and not allowing people of a different socioeconomic class to dress as if they were wealthier.