The International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is held in local communities and schools across the nation to memorialize those who have been killed due to anti-transgender bigotry. Many victims of anti-transgender violence have been invisible in their communities and attackers not often brought to justice. The 26th Annual TDOR brings together communities to mourn and honor victims of anti-transgender hate crimes and as a call to action towards the respect of all people regardless of gender identity or expression.
There have been at least 27 murders of trans or gender-expansive people in the United States in the past year.
In Pennsylvania, we mourn and remember Pauly Likens, 14, who was murdered in Mercer, PA, on June 23, 2024. Pennsylvania State Police swiftly arrested and charged her alleged murderer. We mourn and remember Amariey Lei, who was just 19 years old when she was murdered on January 1, 2022 in Wilkinsburg, PA. Allegheny County Police have produced no arrests in her murder case. We mourn and remember Michelle Tamika Washington, 40, who was murdered in Philadelphia on May 19, 2019. In 2018, Shantee Tucker was killed in Philadelphia. In 2016, Maya Young was 25 when she was stabbed to death in Philadelphia. In 2015, Pennsylvania mourned London Chanel, 21, and Kiesha Jenkins, 22, both black trans women who were killed in Philadelphia. In July 2013, another young trans woman, Diamond Williams, was brutally murdered in Philadelphia.
We are deeply heartbroken with the passing of young transgender individuals including Ashton Clatterbuck of Lancaster County. As our hearts go out to their families and loved ones, we continue to monitor information on all deaths of trans and gender-expansive Pennsylvanians who have passed before their time due to violence, discrimination, and rejection.
This year, we also lost Cei Bell to natural causes, who was a longtime leading advocate in Philadelphia. She discussed the difficult lives many trans women of color face in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2013 here. In the wake of Diamond Williams’ brutal murder, she wrote about the complex challenges trans women of color have, that “the situation with these minority transgender women is that at a young age, they are severely bullied out of school, thrown out of their family’s home and onto the streets. Then they have to survive with no education and no jobs. They are severely discriminated against even in the LGBT community. They aren’t hired for jobs, and if they find a job they are harassed. At the same time many of the same men who harass them want to have sex with them. I have often suspected that serial killers practice on transgender women because they know that nobody cares.”
In 2015, Cei Bell also noted in WHYY that the lack of attention given to the assaults and murders of trans women is appalling. She reflected that “I have escaped being murdered about 13 times. I am talking about walking down the street minding my own business and some man, or group of men, starts chasing me. A friend and I once counted about 13 transgender women who we knew who had been murdered — and that was 25 years ago. Most people don’t go through this. Transgender women, especially minority transgender women, have a very specific, very dangerous problem that has been ignored.”
There have been murders of transgender people because of their identity around the world since last year.
Many organized vigils will once again be held in communities throughout the commonwealth. This is a large increase from just a few events held in Pittsburgh and Southeastern Pennsylvania before 2013.
November is also Transgender Awareness Month, and November 13-19, 2024 is Trans Awareness Week. Many communities are not just mourning those lost to violence, but celebrating and lifting up the lives of transgender people. There are wonderful educational and community events set to take place throughout Pennsylvania. Several student organizations are holding Transgender Awareness Weeks. Trans Day of Visibility is annually on March 31st.
For the tenth year, PYC provides an online listing of Trans Day of Remembrance/Resilience events across the commonwealth.
Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigils in Pennsylvania
November 20th, 2024
*Unless Otherwise Noted*
Allentown
Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley (2354 Grove Road), November 20th, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Hosts: Eastern PA Trans Equity Project and Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley
More Information
Athens
Unitarian Universalist Church of Athens and Sheshequin (112 North Street), November 24th, 12:30pm
Host: Endless Mountains Pride and the UCC of Athens and Sheshequin
More Information
Coatesville VA
Coatesville VA Medical Center (1400 Blackhorse Hill Road), November 20th, 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Host: Coatesville VA
More Information
Erie
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie (7180 Perry Hwy, Erie, PA 16509), November 20th, 7:00pm
Host: TransFamily of NWPA
More Information
Harrisburg
GLO at Strawberry Square (303 Walnut Street, Suite 204), November 20th, 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Host: LGBT Center of Central PA/GLO
Jenkintown
Jenkintown Town Square (703 Greenwood Avenue), November 20th, 7:00pm
Lancaster
Penn Square (Intersection of King Street and Queen Street), November 20th, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Host: Lancaster Pride
More Information
Lititz
Lititz Springs Park (24 North Broad Street), November 24th, 4:00pm
Hosts: Lititz Chooses Love and Trans Minor Rights
Philadelphia
Events All Day: Penn LGBT Center (3907 Spruce Street), November 20th
Host: William Way LGBT Community Center
More Information
Pittsburgh
QMNTY Center (525 East Ohio Street), November 20th
Host: QMNTY Center
Reading
All Souls ECC (640 Centre Avenue), November 20th, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Host: Reading Pride Celebration and Berks LGBTQ+ Business Alliance
More Information
Sharon
LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley (87 Stambaugh Avenue), November 16th, 7:00pm
Host: LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley
Souderton
Zwingli United Church of Christ (350 Wile Avenue), November 20th, 7:00pm
Host: Souderton Area for All
More Information
State College
Allen Street Gates (Allen Street and College Avenue), November 20th, 7:00pm
Host: Centre LGBT+
More Information
Stroudsburg
Christ Episcopal Church (205 North 7th Street), November 20th, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Host: LGBTQPride
More Information
Swissvale
SisTers PGH (2014 Monongahela Avenue), November 20th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Host: Black Liberation Autonomous Collective and SisTers PGH
More Information
Upper Darby
Upper Darby Township Building (100 Garrett Road), November 20th, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Host:UDTJ
West Chester
Unitarian Congregation of West Chester (501 South High Street), November 20th, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Host: LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County, West Chester University’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Arrive Therapy, Free Mom Hugs
Trans-Parent Support Group, Crime Victims Center of Chester County, West Chester University Center for Trans and Queer Advocacy, Unitarian Congregation of West Chester
More Information
York
Heidelberg UCC York (47 West Philadelphia Street), November 24th, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Host: Rainbow Rose Center
More Information
Washington
Center on Strawberry (59 East Strawberry Avenue), November 20th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Host: Washington County GSA
Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes University — Adams Commons at the Henry Student Center (84 West South Street), November 20th, 7:00pm
If you would like to add your event to this page, please email us at info@payouthcongress.org.
