UW Tacoma’s Transgender Day of Visibility event

UW Tacoma hosted its first event for Transgender Day of Visibility in the Jane Russell Commons. 

By: Michaela Ely

On March 31, UWT’s Center for Equity and Inclusion along with the UWT Pride Pack and Professor Ever Jones helped to plan the first campus event for Transgender Day of Visibility. 

Students were invited to write positive messages for the queer and transgender community in sidewalk chalk right outside of William Phillip Hall and in the middle of the campus stairs at the beginning of the event. The event continued during UWT’s lunch hour with bracelet making, music and cupcakes. 

“I love being able to curate the vibe and make people happy. This is my first time kind of behind the scenes on an event like this. Usually when it comes to kind of queer education, queer events, I’m asked to speak or educate, and I’m less on the planning side. But this time, it was really fun. Just kind of running around, getting all the people, bringing in the community partners. I was really happy with the turnout and energy,” UWT senior Fae Osborne said. 

Osborne told The Ledger in an interview that this event was the first of its kind between all three UW campuses with more events being focused on Transgender Day of Remembrance in November. Both Professor Jones and Osborne were on a panel together where Osborne brought up the fact that it bothers her that most events within the transgender community are focused on remembrance rather than visibility because it takes away from the current lived experience of the transgender community. 

Both Osborne and Professor Jones hope to see this event as something that will occur every year, hopefully with more planning and a larger crowd to bring attention to the day, while also providing a safe place and resources for transgender students. 

“Trans people cannot give up on themselves. They cannot give up their love and their celebration and their desire, like we can’t give that up, right?” Professor Jones told The Ledger. 

Since the Trump administration took office, some executive orders were signed that affect transgender individuals, whether it be banning transgender women in women’s sports or banning transgender individuals from the military. Some of these actions have been challenged by the federal courts in various lawsuits. 

“We are doing this because it’s a political statement. It’s joy. Joy is resistance,” Osborne said. 

This event also had tables for the Rainbow Center and the Oasis Youth Center, both of which are organizations that support the queer and transgender community in the Tacoma area.?The Oasis Youth Center provides programming for LGBTQ+ youth in Pierce County and the Rainbow Center provides resources like educational materials and advocacy services. 

“I think it’s our responsibility to express joy, our responsibility to be confident,” Professor Jones said.