Celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility

March 31st marks Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) - a day to celebrate the lives, contributions and joy of trans and non-binary people. Founded in 2010 by activist Rachel Crandall, TDOV stands alongside Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) to honour those lost to anti-trans violence. While TDOR is a moment of solemn reflection, TDOV is about celebrating trans people’s existence and impact in workplaces, communities and wider society. It’s also a call to action - especially as trans rights face increasing challenges - to build a world where trans and non-binary people can exist openly and safely.

We live in a time where being open about who we are is becoming more and more possible, and when acceptance follows that openness, it can be transformative. Research shows that 94% of 92,000 trans people feel more satisfied with life after transitioning (James et al 2024), and 73% experience gender euphoria - the deep joy of being seen as who they truly are (Beischel et al 2021). Without a doubt, for many trans and non-binary people, visibility can be truly life changing. But, visibility isn’t always easy, and as we become more aware of trans and non-binary experiences, there is also a growing backlash. Many trans people, in particular trans women of colour, face hostility, discrimination and even violence simply for being visible. The exhaustion that comes from constantly having to explain, justify or defend one’s existence puts many trans and non-binary people in the position of choosing not to come out at all, not out of shame, but out of self-preservation.

Being visible as a transgender man is central to the work that I do at TransFocus, but it hasn’t always been a comfortable experience. As I started speaking publicly about trans inclusion, I quickly learned how readily exposure invites scrutiny, and my experiences speaking on national news or after delivering my TEDx talk were particularly tough. The negative comments that followed these moments were jarring, and in some cases even frightening. 

While my work might mean that I am openly trans, I still navigate visibility very carefully - particularly in my everyday life outside of work. In social settings with new people, often the conversation naturally turns to work and when someone asks what I do, I generally start with a broad answer - that I work in EDI. I wait to determine the level of safety before I am more specific in telling someone that my work focuses on trans inclusion, which inevitably outs me. Without this caution, I could find myself in a precarious position, and this is despite the fact that  this situation is more accessible for me than it would be for others, such as trans women of colour who are much more likely to be negatively impacted by their visibility. 

This careful assessment of visibility isn’t unique - in reality, many trans and non-binary people have to constantly assess their surroundings, weighing the risks of visibility with the hopes of being authentically themselves. The risks and experiences differ widely depending on many different factors; in some cultures, being trans is openly celebrated, whereas in others, it’s quietly accepted but not discussed. But, ultimately, in too many places, being visible as a trans or non-binary person means being directly in harm’s way. This is why we must be thoughtful about how we talk about visibility. While representation absolutely matters, no one should feel pressured to be out. Instead of placing the burden on individuals to disclose the fact that they are trans, we should focus on creating environments where safety and support are built in - where people can share more if and when they’re ready, on their own terms and in their own way. 

The complexity of visibility that trans and non-binary people experience might seem to some as quite a difficult concept to grasp, but I’ve seen many moments in our TDOV live education sessions when people recognize the parallels in their own lives - even if they are not transgender. Whether it’s delaying telling a boss about a pregnancy, hesitating to share religious beliefs, or even keeping mental health conditions private out of fear of judgement or backlash, many people experience caution around sharing aspects of their lives with others for fear of how they will be received. This is exactly the balancing act that so many trans and non-binary people navigate daily, and creating space for openness and authenticity benefits all of us. Every time I see these moments of understanding, I’m reminded why this work matters. While TDOV is such an important day to celebrate, it’s never just about one day of awareness. Creating lasting change that ensures every single person, whether they are trans or not, has the freedom to be themselves is integral to creating a workplace and a world where everyone is welcome.

Ultimately, true inclusion does not mean that we should expect all trans employees to be out and visible, but it does mean that we should create workplaces where people can be visible if they want to be. By shifting our focus from visibility as an obligation to visibility as a right, we can move beyond surface-level support to truly understand what it means to foster inclusion and deeply impact entire workplace cultures. If your organization is ready to make these moves, we’re now booking live sessions for March and April and we’d love to support you in this work to create spaces where everyone can show up to work fully, safely and on their own terms. 

We also have created a free downloadable resource with more information on Transgender Day of Visibility so feel free to get yours here and share it with others if you find it helpful!