In memory of those in the transgender community who have been victims of hate, Nov. 20 is a day reserved to remember those who have died before they blossomed. The Gender Sexuality Alliance at Cabrillo has taken it upon themselves to commemorate those within the community who are no longer alive.
The GSA set up a table in the quad on Nov. 20 to spread awareness of trans people, along with giving out information on how to support the transgender and LGBT+ community as a whole during this time.
When asked about the GSA’s work, Grayson Hutchinson, president of the club, said it’s focused on helping and connecting queer students on campus.
“We give out flags, pins, and stickers. I love seeing the flags and pins on people’s backpacks. Just seeing people out and being who they are,” he said.
Along with spreading awareness around the campus community, attendees at the event were taking the time to honor those lost while aiming to remain positive.
“It’s a sad event, and as a day, so it’s nice to have a celebration for it,” said Juniper Arthur, a GSA member in attendance “It’s a fucking bummer, most of the time if you don’t have an event to go to.”
While the day and the event itself can be sad, Arthur shared an optimistic outlook about the entirety of the event.
She said that while it’s important to approach these kinds of topics with positivity, it’s also a bummer when trans groups and communities focus on collective trauma. Arthur stated that it’s good that groups like the one on Cabrillo’s campus are having a bigger focus on positivity.
Vice President of the GSA, Mars Redmon, also spoke about the serious nature of the event and what the GSA is trying to convey with it.
“We like to balance the solemness and honoring what has happened in the past year with an actual nice reminder that there is a community here and people who want to work together to change things,” Redmon said.
As worries over the safety of transgender communities rise locally and nationally, Cabrillo and the GSA aim to cultivate a safe space on campus.
“Being transgender is very difficult because it’s very different from other parts of the community, because it’s harder to hide and you get criticized a lot more for it,” Hutchinson said. “Just letting people know Cabrillo is a safe space.”
