The Raleigh LGBT Center held a candlelight vigil Wednesday outside the State Capitol.
Rebecca Chapin, a board member of the Raleigh LGBT Center and program member for the transgender initiative, led the vigil for the international Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Chapin said the day honors those that have been killed as a result of to violence toward non-gender-conforming individuals.
“From this day, we hope to learn and grow as a community in hopes that next year this day will not be needed,” Chapin said.
Participants held candles and read the names and cause of death of members from the transgender community that have been killed or committed suicide during the past year. They also said a prayer, and those present had the opportunity to share why they came to the vigil.
“Today is a sad day, but many great things have come from today,” Chapin said. “It has given us a voice and a platform to speak. We have a community that has gained visibility and is trying to make the world a better place.”
Chapin said the vigil is meant to celebrate victims and give non-victims a platform to speak.
Adam Ward, a graduate assistant at the GLBT Center at N.C. State, attended the event and said he wanted to recognize those who have been killed due to transphobia.
“I personally wanted to show my support for the transgender community because I have friends that are transgender and gender non-conforming. Many of them have experienced violence and harassment because of their identity,” Ward said
The GLBT Center deals with gender identity and sexual orientation. They also work with the Student Health Center so transgender and transsexual individuals who want to physically transition can undergo the process with the guidance of a professional.
“We have strong relationships and partnerships with the counseling center so we can be involved with educating people on this and the continuing education of the counseling center so they can meet the mental health needs of the transgender community,” Ward said.
Ward said the GLBT Alliance is available to provide support for the transgender community and GLBT started a transgender support initiative called T-Files. Counseling sessions, help with a legal name changes and transgender education classes are offered to students.
Justine Hollingshead, director of the GLBT Center said events are being held all over the state and country for the Day of Remembrance. People could also participate in online vigils if they felt uncomfortable with coming to an event.
According to Hollingshead, the GLBT center conducted a GLBT Climate Survey Report last fall where the transgender population was found to suffer the most discrimination and harassment. Hollingshead said this survey is consistent with other surveys from across the country.
According to the study, GLBT identified students, recent alumni and faculty members and staff from N.C. State were surveyed. Findings from the study showed faculty members and staff felt the campus has become more tolerant toward gay, lesbian and bisexual since they started teaching at the University. However, tolerance for members of the transgender community has not.
According to the study said 98 percent of participants in the survey said the GLBT Center plays a helpful, supportive role for improving the campus climate for these students even if they had not used their services.
Levels of family, friend, campus and University support were factored into the study. Comfort in class, residence halls, fraternities and sororities were also surveyed.
Results from the study show that a university should demonstrate commitment, develop inclusive policies and practices, respond to GLBT bias incidents and offer comprehensive counseling and healthcare to improve the campus climate toward the GLBT community.
