November is nationally recognized as Transgender Awareness Month, housing both Transgender Awareness Week from Nov. 13 to Nov. 19 and Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.
Marquette is taking their own spin on the national dates and celebrating Trans* Compassion Week from Nov. 18 to Nov. 22.
Michael Takaki, a senior in the College of Communication who works for the Center for Engagement and Inclusion, said Marquette scheduled their Trans* Compassion Week differently than Transgender Awareness Week so that events can be held when the greatest number of students tends to be on campus to attend them, Monday through Friday.
The LGBTQ+ resource center will host events each day, with a vigil on Transgender Day of Remembrance in the middle of the week. The vigil will be in AMU Room 157 from 5 – 6 p.m. on Nov. 20.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is dedicated to remembering the lives of transgender people who passed away due to anti-transgender violence.
On Monday, the LGBTQ+ Resource Center placed “flags in their honor” to pay tribute to transgender lives in Central Mall, which kicked off Trans* Compassion Week.
“I think it’s important to make everyone feel included, especially going to a Catholic school and to be transgender,” Takaki said. “It would definitely be a difficult experience and I just think it’s important to make everyone feel included, like they have a sense of belonging and community.”
The events for Trans* Compassion Week vary. While some events like the vigil or placing of flags may be more somber, the LGBTQ+ Resource Center also collected gender-affirming clothing for the transgender community.
On Thursday, the center will partner with Marquette Philosophy’s Social and Political Philosophy Through Film series to watch the 2024 film “I Saw the TV Glow,” where snacks will be provided and discussion encouraged. The film is an allegory for how it feels for some young people to be transgender.
Trans* Compassion Week at Marquette will end with a “found family” lunch in the AMU.
Griffin Davis, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said he identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and thinks it is important that Marquette holds events like this to bring awareness to transgender people and issues they may face.
“It’s recognition that shows these people exist, they don’t harm and they’re regular people that want to live the American dream like you and me,” Davis said. “I think that that’s incredibly important just especially in today’s world.”
Davis said that he feels like in today’s political climate it is especially important to celebrate Trans* Compassion Week.
“I don’t even feel like it’s a Republican or Democratic issue, I feel like it’s an issue that people just refuse to just be nice to trans* people,” Davis said.
Resources for Marquette’s transgender community are available year-round through the LGBTQ+ Resource Center located in AMU Room 140. The center focuses on providing support and advocacy for members of the Marquette community who identify as LGBTQ+ through a culture of equity both inside and outside of the classroom.
Marquette’s Speech and Hearing Clinic also provides gender affirming voice therapy at no charge to students, which helps them safely modify their voices and communication patterns using patient-focused care.
This story was written by Ellie Golko. She can be reached at [email protected].
Mia Thurow contributed to this story. She can be reached at [email protected].
