November 20th commemorates the trans, non-binary and Two-Spirit people who have lost their lives to transphobic violence. It is also a day to honour those who continue to work for just and inclusive communities in the face of violence and aggression.
Transgender Day of Remembrance started in 1999, by advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith, to honour the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998.
Data from October 2022 to September 2023 shows that 320 trans and gender-diverse people were murdered worldwide.
Those statistics are from countries who have established 2SLGBTQAI+ monitoring organizations. In many countries, this is not the case, so many of these tragedies go unreported.
CHV strives to be a safe and inclusive space
Covenant House Vancouver strives to be a safe and inclusive space for all youth. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, gender non-binary and Two-Spirit youth are overrepresented in the homeless community. We strongly believe that all youth deserve unconditional love and absolute respect and 2SLGBTQAI+ youth are no exception.
Covenant House Vancouver’s Rainbow Advisory Committee is made up of staff members from each department in the agency. They are dedicated to ensuring that we use best practices to serve our 2SLGBTQAI+ youth and that we continue to enhance our spaces, policies, procedures, and programs.
Covenant House takes a trauma-informed approach to support the youth in our care. Our program staff participate in specialized training to ensure staff have the necessary knowledge and awareness to create a welcoming space for 2SLGBTQAI+ youth.
If you are a youth in need of support or have questions, please contact us toll free, at 1-877-685-7474.