Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually (from its inception) on November 20 as a day to memoralize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia. It is a day to draw attention to the continued violence endured by transgender people.
Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender woman, to memorialize the murder of transgender woman Rita Hester and it has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries.
The County of San Mateo has observed Transgender Day of Remembrance since 2015. By providing these annual days of action, we hope to create more awareness, education, and visibility to stop this violence enacted toward transgender individuals.