By: General Board of Church and Society

As we observe Transgender Day of Remembrance, we commit to creating spaces of justice, inclusion, and affirmation.

If you are new to understanding gender identities or want to learn more about transgender and nonbinary experiences, here’s a great place to begin: Transgender 101

Every November 20th, the Transgender Day of Remembrance calls us to honor the lives taken by anti-transgender violence and to confront ongoing injustice. For the United Methodist Church, it is a moment to reckon with past exclusions, stand against the harm inflicted on the queer and trans community, and recommit to valuing every person as a beloved child of God.

As we live out the Social Principles, United Methodists call on “churches, governments, businesses, and civic organizations to do all in their power to combat such unjust treatment and to promote equal rights and protections for all.” 

As we honor the lives lost, we must also envision and work toward a future where such remembrance is no longer necessary—a world that fully embraces every person’s inherent dignity and divine worth.