A special ceremony will be held this weekend, honouring the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-trans violence.
Organized by the CK Gay Pride Association, a vigil is planned at the Civic Centre on Sunday, marking Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Similar events will play out in communities across the country.
The first Transgender Day of Remembrance was held in 1998 in honour of Rita Hester, a highly visible member of the transgender community in Boston, who was killed in her own apartment.
Statistics from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) show that in schools, 16.2% of transgender students report being physically assaulted as a result of gender expression, while 32.5% experience physical harassment.
Sunday’s vigil at the Civic Centre in Chatham gets underway at 5pm.
