What does TDOR stand for?

If the title means nothing to you, that’s because, currently, in my opinion, society is seeking to whitewash the transgender community out of the equation. After years of progress towards equality and diversity we are now lurching backwards towards marginalisation and critique. What does TDOR stand for? TDOR stands for Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual day of reflection where people can ponder why a certain group of people in our world can be targeted for who they are. The numbers suggested in this video and on websites are widely agreed to be underreported. Why is this?

Under reporting

This underreporting is because of the perceived lack of acceptance of the transgender community in society in general. I say perceived, but if you review social media, the animosity and bile towards those within the transgender community – especially over the last year – has been significant and targeted. If the data from the UK suggests that people took their lives due to such hatred then have we taken our eye off diversity and let things slip?

We asked many organisations and individuals if they’d offer us their very short perspective of life currently – no one agreed. In previous years we have had people give testimony, offer prayers and intimate hope for the future.

Hope

Well I have hope, I have a desire that transgender folk would be welcomed, accepted in society. Just as God made us all, we can do this. The recent arguments that Transgender women are a threat in women’s spaces has gained significant traction recently. This is a slippery slope argument. I would ask for the evidence that transgender women are a threat to women. The recent proposed legislation in Scotland, about easier access to the Gender Recognition Certificate, is focussed upon marriage but media has given the attention to the possible threat in changing rooms.

What can I do?

What does TDOR stand for? When across our world, people are dying because others are scared of a perceived concern to their normality, we need to stop and pause. So, possibly today we might just do that, even for a few seconds. When we see someone from the transgender community, we might ask whether we would, metaphorically, like to walk a mile in their shoes, in their struggle to be recognised as they truly are – just as we all do.