Content warning: This article discusses violence and suicide within the transgender community.

Every year on November 20th the Transgender community and its allies take time to remember the people in our community that we have lost through violence or suicide in the years past.

People of all ages, experiences, careers and backgrounds are lost each year to what a growing threat to transgender people is unfortunately not only abroad, but at home in the UK too. The deaths of transgender people are rarely recorded formally so we must rely on open source and community run databases like the Trans Lives Matter TDOR list to ensure that they are never forgotten and not just a statistic - Remembering Our Dead - Reports.

We have seen record levels of violence and hate crime against transgender people, often attributed to political rhetoric, legislative isolation and the normalisation of transphobic abuse. In the last five years, hate crimes in England and Wales against transgender people have increased by 186%, a worrying trend.

Our Students’ Union has a proud history of standing by our transgender community and we continue to do so. Whether it be by providing our gender-neutral toilet facilities, our Ban Conversion Therapy campaign or our response to the EHRC consultation – we stand by you now and always.

We know this time of year can be difficult. If you need support, the University’s Wellbeing Service is here to help.

If you or someone you know experiences hate or discrimination on campus, you can report it directly through our website

On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we invite our community to pause, reflect, and recommit to creating a safer, more inclusive campus. Remember the names. Honour their lives. And join us in continuing the work for a world where transgender people can live without fear.

 - Avery Greatorex, 

Students' Union Representative