Students Celebrate Transgender Day of Remembrance Nationwide

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2008 - Students and Gay-Straight Alliances across the country participated in Transgender Day of Remembrance today to bring attention to bullying based on gender identity/expression and to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is a proud supporter of Gender Education and Advocacy's (GEA) Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international day of action to bring awareness to the problem of anti-transgender violence.

"Transgender Day of Remembrance is an important opportunity for students to raise awareness about gender identity/expression," said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. "This day is also a chance to pause and reflect on the bullying, harassment and violence many transgender people have faced in schools and society."

Student participation ranges from candle light vigils to school assemblies to transgender-inclusive school trainings to wearing supportive stickers and armbands.

In The 2007 National School Climate Survey released last month, 66.5% of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students reported being verbally harassed in the past year because of their gender expression. Additionally, 30.4% said they had been physically harassed and 14.2% said they had been physically assaulted because of their gender expression.

In an effort to continue the dialogue started by Transgender Day of Remembrance and further educational efforts surrounding gender identity/expression at school, GLSEN is also proud to announce a new Day of Action, TransAction!, to be held Friday, Feb. 27

With a specific educational focus, TransAction will create an opportunity for students to raise awareness about gender identity/expression and transgender people and promote educational interventions to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all students, regardless of gender identity/expression.

Look for more information in the coming months at www.dayofsilence.org/transaction.html.

About GLSEN
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on GLSEN's educational resources, public policy agenda, student organizing programs, research, public education or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.