Transgender Day of Remembrance 2026 is on Friday

About Transgender Day of Remembrance

Communities mark the day with candlelight vigils, memorial services and readings of the names of people lost during the past year. LGBTQ+ centers, faith communities, universities and advocacy groups host many of these events, and national organizations hold virtual gatherings. It is a day of mourning, and also a time to support grieving friends and families and to talk about safety.

Transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith started the day in 1999 with a vigil in San Francisco honoring Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in Boston in November 1998. Hester, who was 34, was a well-known figure in Boston's transgender community, and her killing has never been solved. The vigil remembered her and the other transgender people lost to violence, and it became an annual observance held in cities around the world.

The remembrance day also led to Transgender Awareness Week, which is held in the days leading up to November 20 and focuses on education about transgender people and the issues they face. GLAAD and other organizations publish resources and media guidance for the week each year.

Sources: GLAAD: Transgender Day of Remembrance, The Advocate: What is Transgender Day of Remembrance?. How we check dates.

How to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance

• Attend a local vigil or remembrance service, often hosted by an LGBTQ+ center or faith community.
• Light a candle at home in memory of those who have been lost.
• Learn about Rita Hester and the history of the day from trans-led organizations.
• Support a trans-led organization or community center that offers safety and support services.
• Check in with transgender friends, relatives or coworkers, who may find the day emotionally heavy.

Transgender Day of Remembrance dates