Trans Day of Remembrance: Connecting Affirming Care and Abortion Access

Nov 20

Every year on November 20th, the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) offers a solemn opportunity to honour the lives of trans individuals lost to violence, discrimination, and systemic neglect. It’s a day to reflect on the challenges faced by the trans community while recommitting to advocacy, support, and change.

Transphobia continues to claim lives, often disproportionately affecting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the trans community. This systemic violence is woven into healthcare, legislation, and social attitudes. The fight for gender-neutral and affirming healthcare is central to this battle.

Why Gender-Affirming Healthcare Matters

Healthcare settings often fail trans individuals, who may face ignorance, stigma, or outright denial of services. For example:

Barriers to abortion care: Trans and non-binary individuals who need abortion services can face misgendering or assumptions about their bodies or even outright refusal of service.
Lack of provider knowledge and training: Many healthcare providers are not adequately trained in trans-specific healthcare needs, resulting in insufficient care and invasive or inappropriate questioning. This lack of understanding fosters mistrust in the healthcare system and leaves trans patients unsupported and underserved.
Inaccessible reproductive health services: Gender-neutral language and inclusive practices in reproductive healthcare remain rare, alienating many trans patients. These barriers discourage many from seeking care altogether.

The goal of gender-affirming healthcare is simple: to treat patients with respect, compassion, and understanding, acknowledging their identities and needs without bias.

Continuing the Fight for Justice

On this TDOR, it’s not enough to remember—we must act. This means:

Educating healthcare providers on the importance of inclusive language and practices.
Advocating for policy changes to protect trans lives and ensure equal access to all healthcare services.
Supporting trans-led organizations that directly serve the community’s needs. (like @trans.rights.yeg and @transabortionresearch)

Building a Future of Respect and Care

Everyone deserves dignity in healthcare and beyond. Pro-Choice YQL carefully vets all providers we refer to, ensuring they uphold gender-affirming values, use inclusive language, and understand the needs of queer bodies and families. Seeking healthcare should never mean hiding who you are.