Hate crimes towards the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, and Allies (LGBTQQA) community is common in the United States. The 2013 National School Climate Survey hosted by GLSEN shows that "16.2% of transgender student’s report being physically assaulted as a result of gender expression, while 32.5% experience physical harassment." Note: the statistic isn't for 16.2 or 32.5 percent of all students but specifically transgender students and counts physical harassment, which excludes verbal abuse and intimidation. This leads in to the sad topic I will be discussing today: Transgender Day of Remembrance, every year since 2000 on November 20.

Transgender Day of Remembrance, also known as TDOR, was created in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, an advocate and writer, who wanted to hold a memorial in remembrance of Rita Hester's murder in 1998. Rita was a large part of the Boston, Massachusetts transgender activist community. Rita was stabbed 20 times in her apartment and was rushed to the hospital but died of cardiac arrest only moments later. The memorial for Rita gave Gwendolyn the inspiration to launch the first TDOR. TDOR became a day set aside for people to remember the lives who have been lost to transgender hate crimes and suicides. Organizations throughout the world have begun recognizing TDOR.

The most common ways of recognizing TDOR is lighting a candle, or having a candlelit service, forums and panels with local advocates and activists, marches and walks, and movie or documentary screenings that center on transgender characters or topics. The most challenging way to recognize TDOR is by reading through/aloud the official list of hate crimes and suicides around the world that occurred over the year. It sounds simple but it is very sad to see how some of these people were murdered. The list is in alphabetical order by country with Brazil being first on the list.

To find the pdf with the statistics I used abovego here: https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2013%20National%20School%20Climate%20Survey%20Full%20Report_0.pdf. For a more thorough article on TDORs history go here: http://www.glaad.org/publications/tdorkit.

In remembrance of those that died this year, I'd like to say congratulations for being brave enough to continue being who you are -were- regardless of the hatred you received. I will think of all of you every day. You are my heroes.

-Andrew

Brazil

J.W. da Silva (24 years old)

Cause of death: stoned to death.

Location of death: Paudalho, Brazil

Date of death: October 27th, 2016

Julia Sofia (20 years old)

Cause of death: stabbed to death.

Location of death: Nazaré, Bahia, Brazil

Date of death: October 21st, 2016

Yasmin Montoy (20 years old)

Cause of death: beaten to death, blunt force trauma to the head.

Location of death: São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: October 16th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: suffucation

Location of death: Sorocaba, Brazil

Date of death: October 13th, 2016

W. R. Alexandre

Cause of death: beaten to death.

Location of death: Baixada Fluminense, Brazil

Date of death: October 8th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: stabbed to death

Location of death: Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil

Date of death: September 30th, 2016

Rafael Silva (17 year old)

Cause of death: 17 gunshots, ran over by car.

Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: September 30th, 2016

Chaiene da Silva

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds

Location of death: Paudalho, Pernambuco, Brazil

Date of death: September 24th, 2016

Larissa (31 years old)larissa

Cause of death: shot in abdomen, thrown from car

Location of death: São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: September 16th, 2016

H.J. Silva (37 years old)

Cause of death: blunt force trauma

Location of death: Sítio do Quinto, Bahia, Brazil

Date of death: September 11th, 2016

Pâmela Pereira (16 years old)14991-3

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds

Location of death: Conceição do Jacuípe, Bahia, Brazil

Date of death: September 9th, 2016

unidentified woman (24 years old)

Cause of death: gunshot and stab wounds

Location of death: Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: September 9th, 2016

Taina W.P. Alencar (22 years old)

Cause of death: stab wound

Location of death: Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

Date of death: September 4th, 2016

Hilda A.J. da Silva (46 years old)

Cause of death: strangled with an electrical cord

Location of death: Aliança, Pernambuco, Brazil

Date of death: September 4th, 2016

Bruniele

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds

Location of death: São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: August 29th, 2016

Erika W.P. de Arruda (30 years old)

Cause of death: gunshot wounds to neck and groin

Location of death: Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Date of death: August 25th, 2016

Brenda

Cause of death: stabbing

Location of death: Castanhal, Pará, Brazil

Date of death: August 19th, 2016

Tiffany Rodrigues (23 years old)

Cause of death: asphyxiation

Location of death: Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Date of death: August 8th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: stabbing

Location of death: Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

Date of death: August 1st, 2016

Thiemy Oliveira (24 years old)

Cause of death: stabbing

Location of death: Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

Date of death: August 1st, 2016

Adriane Bonek (43 years old)

Cause of death: unknown

Location of death: São Pedro da Aldeia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Date of death: August 1st, 2016

Sabrina E.S. Sales (25 years old)

Cause of death: beaten to death

Location of death: Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia, Brazil

Date of death: July 25th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: stabbing

Location of death: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

Date of death: July 13th, 2016

Edymara M. Leão (36 years old) edwy

Cause of death: asphyxiation

Location of death: Lago Norte, Brazil

Date of death: July 11th, 2016

Nickolle Rocha (19 years old)

Cause of death: beaten to death

Location of death: Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: July 11th, 2016

Pandora Pereira (26 years old) pand

Cause of death: stabbed to death

Location of death: São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: July 3rd, 2016

Daiane Brasil (36 years old) well

Cause of death: gunshots to the neck, chest, and face.

Location of death: Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Date of death: June 27th, 2016

Julia Almeida (28 years old) juliaalmeida

Cause of death: strangled, thrown in sugar cane field.

Location of death: Ituverava, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: June 25th, 2016

Danielly Barby (24 years old) barby

Cause of death: gunshot to the neck

Location of death: Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: June 25th, 2016

Sheila Santos

Cause of death: gunshot

Location of death: Calabar, Bahia, Brazil

Date of death: June 24th, 2016

Lorran Lorang (19 years old)

Cause of death: asphyxiation

Location of death: Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Date of death: June 22nd, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: beaten to death with a wooden club

Location of death: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

Date of death: June 18th, 2016

Gabriel Figueira de Lima (21 years old)

Cause of death: stabbed in the neck

Location of death: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

Date of death: June 16th, 2016

Paula

Cause of death: beaten to death

Location of death: Goiandira, Goiás, Brazil

Date of death: June 16th, 2016

Lauandersa

Cause of death: stabbed over 30 times

Location of death: Genipabu, Caucaia, Brazil

Date of death: May 16th, 2016

Ana Hickmann (30 years old)

Cause of death: 2 gunshots in the neck

Location of death: Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

Date of death: May 15th, 2016

Michele de Souza (22 years old)

Cause of death: 7 gunshots to the chest, abdomen, legs and arms.

Location of death: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: May 11th, 2016

Leticia Silva (22 years old)

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.

Location of death: Belém, Pará, Brazil

Date of death: May 5th, 2016

Alana da Silva Pessoa (22 years old)

Cause of death: gunshot wound.

Location of death: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

Date of death: May 4th, 2016

Jéssica L.C. Menezes (24 years old)

Cause of death: multiple stab wounds

Location of death: Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Date of death: April 16th, 2016

Luana Biersack (14 years old)

Cause of death: sexually assaulted, beaten, and drowned..

Location of death: Novo Itacolomi, Paraná, Brazil

Date of death: April 13th, 2016

Amanda Araujo (17 years old)

Cause of death: multiple stab wounds

Location of death: Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil

Date of death: April 11th, 2016

Bianca Abravanel (25 years old)

Cause of death: 15 gunshot wounds to the chest and face.

Location of death:Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: April 11th, 2016

Andinho

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.

Location of death: Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil

Date of death: March 29th, 2016

Gabriela Rodrigues gab

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.

Location of death: Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil

Date of death: March 28th, 2016

Keyti (42 years old)

Cause of death: beaten to death.

Location of death: Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil

Date of death: March 27th, 2016

D.S. Barros (21 years old)

Cause of death: 30 stab wounds over entire body

Location of death: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Date of death: March 23th, 2016

M. Moreira (16 years old)

Cause of death: head trauma

Location of death: Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Date of death: March 20th, 2016

Camilla Rios (32 years old)

Cause of death: 30 stab wounds over entire body

Location of death: Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Date of death: March 14th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: unknown, dismembered

Location of death: Brazil

Date of death: March 10th, 2016

Mika P. Da Silva

Cause of death: gunshot wounds to the head and groin

Location of death:Macau, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Date of death: March 7th, 2016

María la del Barrio

Cause of death: unknown

Location of death: Manaus, Brazil

Date of death: March 6th, 2016

V.

Cause of death: multiple stab wounds to the neck

Location of death: João Pessoa, Brazil

Date of death: March 7th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds

Location of death: Gravatai, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: February 27th, 2016

Natascha (37 years old)

Cause of death: set on fire.

Location of death: Tarumã, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: February 24th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: strangled, partially burned

Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: February 19th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: strangled, partially burned

Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Date of death: February 19th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: gunshot

Location of death: Carapicuiba, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: February 12th, 2016

Malu (30 years old)

Cause of death: unknown

Location of death: Maracanaú, Ceará, Brazil

Date of death: March 11th, 201

Fabiane Hilario (20 years old)

Cause of death: Gunshot at point blank range to the head.

Location of death: Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Date of death: January 27th, 2016

Dani (20 years old)

Cause of death: Gunshot to the chest

Location of death: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Date of death: January 24th, 2016

Bruna Souza (23 years old)

Cause of death: multiple stab wounds

Location of death: Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil

Date of death: January 23rd, 2016

Ketelen Alves (23 years old)

Cause of death: gunshots

Location of death: Manaus, Brazil

Date of death: January 23rd, 2016

Giovana Atanazio (20 years old)

Cause of death: Thrown from a bridge, drowned

Location of death: São José dos Campos, Brazil

Date of death: January 17th, 2016

unidentified woman

Cause of death: multiple gunshots

Location of death: Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

Date of death: January 4th, 2016

Italy

Thiago Fernando Batista (30 years old)

Cause of death: unknown, body thrown indumpster.

Location of death: Rome, Italy

Date of death: July 29th, 2016

Mexico

Paulett Gonzalez (24 years old)

Cause of death: murdered, burned beyond recognition.

Location of death: Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico

Date of death: June 2016

Pakistan

Alisha (23 years old)

Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.

Location of death: Parda Bagh, Faqirbabad, Pakistan

Date of death: May 25th, 2016

Russia

Raina Aliev (25 years old)

Cause of death: dismembered

Location of death: Dagestan

Date of death: October 201

Spain

Lorena Reyes (32 years old)l

Cause of death: fall, after being stabbed

Location of death: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Date of death: October 24th, 2016

Thailand

Amphon Kongsong (28 years old)

Cause of death: strangled, body stuffed in bed frame.

Location of death: Pattaya, Thailand

Date of death: August 20th, 2016

Turkey

Hande Kader (24 years old)

Cause of death: murdered, burned beyond recognition.

Location of death: Istanbul, Turkey

Date of death: August 2016

USA

Monica Loera (43 years old)monica-loera

Cause of death: gunshot

Location of death: Austin, Texas, USA

Date of death: January 22nd, 2016

Jasmine Sierra (52 years old)jsierra

Cause of death: beaten to death

Location of death: Bakersfield, California, USA

Date of death: January 22nd, 2016

Maya Young (25 years old)mayayoung

Cause of death: stabbing

Location of death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Date of death: February 20th, 2016

Kendarie/Kandicee Johnson (16 years old)

Cause of death: Gunshot

Location of death: Burlington, Iowa

Date of death: March 2nd, 2016

Keyonna Blakeney (22 years old)

Cause of death: upper body trauma

Location of death: Rockville, Maryland, USA

Date of death: May 1st, 2016

Tyreece “Reecey” Walker (32 years old)

Cause of death: multiple stab wounds

Location of death: Wichita, Kansas, USA

Date of death: May 1st, 2016

Mercedes Successful (32 years old)

Cause of death: gunshot

Location of death: Haines City, Florida, USA

Date of death: May 15th, 2016

Amos Beede (38 years old)

Cause of death: beaten to death

Location of death: Burlington, Vermont

Date of death: May 22nd, 2016

Devin Diamond (22 years old)

Cause of death: blunt force trauma, set on fire

Location of death: New Orleans, Louisiana

Date of death: June 5th, 2016

Deeniquia Dodds (22 years old)

Cause of death: shot

Location of death: Washington D.C., USA

Date of death: July 4th, 2016

Dee Whigham (36 years old)

Cause of death: stabbed to death

Location of death: St. Martin, Mississippi, USA

Date of death: July 23rd, 2016

Erykah Tijerina (36 years old)

Cause of death: Stabbed 24 times

Location of death: El Paso, Texas, USA

Date of death: August 8th, 2016

Rae’lynn Thomas (28 years old)

Cause of death: Shot at point blank range

Location of death: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Date of death: August 10th, 2016

TT Saffore (26 years old)

Cause of death: Throat cut

Location of death: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Date of death: September 11th, 2016

Crystal Edmonds (32 years old)

Cause of death: Shot in back of head

Location of death: Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Date of death: March September 16th, 2015