Door to TDOR

Wednesday 20 November is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), an annual observance day to remember the lives of trans and gender-diverse people reported murdered in the last 12 months.

TDOR was started in 1999 by transgender advocate, Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honour the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence around the world and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

How can you get involved in TDOR? This year, Royal Mail is helping to recognise the day by encouraging everyone to take a 60-second pause to stop, reflect and think about the Trans people in your community, whether they be colleagues or customers, and consider ways you can be more inclusive. There’s no set time, just let it be in your own time, your way, your choice. There will also be a number of events bringing people together in communities across the country. 

Cambridge postwoman, Sophie Cole from our ‘NeTwork’ Trans network, said: ‘Being transgender and transitioning means aligning our brains, our souls and our bodies. Although this sounds like a simple enough process, it is often misunderstood by the people around us. 

‘We all spend such a vast amount of time finding and choosing our partners with whom we end up actually spending less time with than our work colleagues, who we don’t get to choose.

‘It’s so important that we give consideration to the people we work with. Take a second to look around. Appreciate everyone’s differences. Offer support where you can to whoever might need it, especially the most vulnerable. A smile, a hello, it can all make a difference.

‘Research from Stonewall found that 48% of transgender people in the UK have attempted suicide at least once. Please help us to reduce this figure by supporting your transgender friends and colleagues.

‘With over 1,500 transgender colleagues currently working for Royal Mail, your support can make an incredible difference and maybe even save lives.’