Niagara’s trans and non-binary community is inviting the entire region to come together in celebration, solidarity and joy for International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) with a series of free public events on March 27 and 31. Held every year on March 31, TDOV honours the lives, resilience and contributions of trans and non-binary people while also shining a light on the urgent need for safety, human rights and affirming health care in an increasingly hostile climate across Canada and around the world.
Organized by the Niagara Transgender Action Coalition (NTAC), this year’s local TDOV gatherings will uplift voices from BIPOC, newcomer and Indigenous communities, centring the intersectional realities of trans and non-binary people in Niagara.
NTAC member and Indigenous Mental Health & Wellness Coordinator at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre, Bella Recinos Athanasas, said in a news release to The Brock Press, “being born on Treaty #381 lands where the Niagara Purchase took place has held a great deal of responsibility, not only to the land, but to the people who have been presiding and caring for this area of the land since time immemorial.”
Athanasas continued to say that many institutions continue to erase queer identities and threaten the safety of those who do not conform to gender norms, making “visibility of our Two Spirit, transgender relatives and those who are queer is vital, more now than ever. We deserve to be seen and honoured for who we are and not what Westernized society tells us who we should be.”
The celebrations begin on March 27 with a Community Crafting night hosted by Transgender Niagara at Silver Spire United Church in St. Catharines from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Community members of all ages and identities are invited to gather, connect and create powerful signs and artwork for the March 31 solidarity march. Supplies and light refreshments will be provided.
On March 31 at 12 p.m., the Transgender Pride flag will be raised at the Niagara Region Headquarters in Thorold, accompanied by brief remarks to mark TDOV and affirm the presence and dignity of trans and non-binary people across the region. Later that day at 5 p.m., the community will assemble at St. Catharines City Hall for musical performances and speeches that prioritize BIPOC, newcomer and Indigenous voices, before marching together through downtown to Service Ontario on St. Paul Street.
Participants are encouraged to bring their most creative, affirming signs to honour Niagara’s trans and non-binary community and help transform the streets into a moving celebration of visibility, pride and resistance.
All events are free, and everyone — trans, non-binary, questioning or cisgender, families, friends and allies — is welcome. Whether you are looking for an opportunity to take your first step into this community, a way to show up in solidarity or a space to celebrate who you are, TDOV in Niagara offers a chance to stand together and be seen.
For more information, email ntac@pflagniagara.ca.