UI Trans Alliance is hosting Trans Awareness week, including a variety of educational, community-building, and awareness-raising events focused on the transgender community.
By Isabella Senno
Solidarity and support will the be main themes this week.
The University of Iowa Trans Alliance will host its second UI Trans Awareness Week from Monday through Friday. This is a week of events meant to encourage a sense of togetherness among transgender individuals on campus and to further educate others about transgender people.
Events include educational workshops for students and faculty, a game night, a potluck, and a candlelight vigil.
One of the biggest goals for the week is to reach as many people as possible, said Sean Finn, the president of UI Trans Alliance.
“We have events tailored for students, and we also have a staff and faculty workshop, as well as larger community events,” Finn said. “It’s built for different people with different experiences so that anyone who’s interested can take part.”
All of the events are meant to build a sense of solidarity in the transgender community and also to encourage others to become better allies.
“This week is a great learning tool for people to realize how they can better interact with the trans community,” said Daniel Solon, LGBTQ constituent senator in the UI Student Government. “The educational portion talks about a vast array of things, from what to say if someone comes out to how to call out people when they’re being transphobic. It’s very basic, but basic is good for people who are just learning.”
This week directly follows several days of tumultuous post-election reactions in the LGBTQ community.
UISG President Rachel Zuckerman said there were incidents even before the election with the LGBTQ+ history month bulletin board vandalized in one of the residence halls, and she said she has heard anecdotes of increased slurs and derogatory language.
“What we’re seeing on the national scale is an increased level of hatred,” Zuckerman said. “What we’ve also seen in Iowa City and on campus is quite a bit of solidarity, including vigils and protests that have united the community and aim to spread love.”
Some of the events taking place will be affected by this recent political climate, as the transgender community has been experiencing negative aftershocks.
“Our community events will probably be the most affected. A lot of people in the trans community are feeling that they won’t be safe, that they’re going to lose their rights, that they’re lose access to health insurance,” Finn said. “Generally, everyone is kind of facing the unknown; a lot of people are going to come together to comfort each other and really form that bond that we’re all going to stick together and stand up for each other.”
The candlelight vigil is the central event, taking place on Thursday, and it is part of Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international observance that began in 1999.
“The Day of Remembrance started after the murder of a trans woman, and throughout the year, we rack up a list of names of people who have been murdered [or taken their own lives] because they were trans,” Finn said. “During the vigil we read the names. It’s a very powerful event for bringing people together and makes the issue feel really real.”
This week was created to build community among the transgender population here on campus.
“One of the most dangerous situations for a person in a marginalized group is to feel isolated,” Finn said. “I think that weeks like these allow people time to think, take heart and feel like they’re not alone.”
