Northwestern Society of Transgender and Non-Binary Students hosted a vigil at The Rock Wednesday night to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance and those who have died as a result of anti-transgender violence.
Tuesday night, STANS members originally painted The Rock pink, white and blue — the colors of the transgender flag — with the names of more than 30 transgender individuals whose lives were “taken through violent means,” according to the Human Rights Campaign.
STANS President and Communication junior Ezra Osburn said painting The Rock and hosting the vigil was intended to help further the fight for transgender rights.
In the past year, the Human Rights Campaign found at least 36 transgender and gender-expansive victims of fatal violence.
“Here in America, our rights are being debated and taken away because of our identity,” Osburn said. “Our trans community members, family and friends are being killed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still angry — but, I also realized how much power we hold as trans folks.”
A Weinberg senior, who identifies as a transgender woman and is a STANS member, said that before the vigil, a different student group painted over The Rock on Wednesday to commemorate Child Bereavement Day, a day recognizing children struggling with grief.
The student, who asked to remain anonymous, noted that because the group of students did not follow NU’s customary 24-hour guarding period before painting The Rock, she felt as though the act was targeted.
“I was very angry,” she said. “(Painting The Rock) is a time for us as trans students to be even more visible on campus, but that does also oppose us to more backlash at times.”
The club member stayed back after the vigil to help STANS members repaint The Rock.
She said this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance hit her personally.
“Over the past year, I’ve known three trans women in the Chicago trans community who died by suicide,” she said. “I’m just trying to keep their memory alive.”
Communication sophomore Lexi Codamon said she attended the vigil to support the LGBTQ+ community. Codamon, who identifies as a transgender woman, added that, once she heard about the event, she “knew (she) should be there in support.”
Codamon, joined by a crowd of about 20 other students, listened to Osburn give a short speech, light candles to commemorate the lives lost to anti-transgender violence and hold a moment of silence.
“To the greater community, this shares the message that we’re still here, we’re still thriving and we’re still surviving,” Codamon said. “I feel like this is more of an event for us, though, as a community. It’s really a bonding space for us.”
In Osburn’s speech at the vigil, they emphasized the importance of speaking out for the community’s rights.
Osburn then opened up the vigil for members of STANS to share the people and stories they were remembering during Transgender Day of Remembrance.
“Our fight for rights as trans people should not exist in a bubble, because by fighting individually, we serve our oppressors,” Osburn said. “We must come together as a community and realize that we’re all fighting against the same forces.”
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