Transgender Day of Remembrance

Nov 19, 2025

Transgender Day of Remembrance, marked each year on November 20, is a solemn time to honour transgender and gender diverse people whose lives have been taken by violence, hatred, neglect and indifference. It is also a time to listen to the voices of trans communities who live every day with the reality that simply existing in public can carry risk.

In Nova Scotia, the Human Rights Act affirms that everyone has the right to live free from discrimination. The Act protects people from discrimination based on sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics in areas such as employment, housing, education, services and public life. These protections are not abstract. For transgender people, they can mean the difference between exclusion and participation, isolation and safety, silence and dignity.

Despite these protections, transgender people continue to experience higher rates of harassment, discrimination, poverty and violence. Trans women, particularly Black, Indigenous and racialized trans women and transfeminine people, are at especially high risk. Trans youth often face bullying and barriers to education. Many trans people struggle to access respectful health care, safe housing and affirming workplaces.

Honouring Transgender Day of Remembrance requires more than words. It calls on all of us to use the tools of human rights law, public policy and everyday action to protect and affirm transgender lives. This includes challenging transphobia, respecting people’s names and pronouns, supporting inclusive schools and services, and taking discrimination seriously when it occurs.

Remembering those who have been killed because of transphobia is an act of grief, but also an act of commitment. On this day, we remember lives lost, stand with those who are still here, and affirm that transgender people deserve to live openly, safely and with full equality under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.

The preceding is a message from Joseph Fraser, Director & CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

Related

Resources