International Trans Day of Visibility

The 31st March marks International Trans Day of Visibility. 

It is a day dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society. 

In the UK, Transphobia is on the rise. YouGov statistics released in October 2022  a 56% increase in transgender hate crime this year (4,355 incidents), against a baseline increase of 41% for the wider LGBTQ+ community. A review commissioned by NHS England reported in March 2022 that healthcare services for trans youth are unsustainable. 

In 2016, 58% of the UK thought that transgender people should be able to change the sex on their birth certificate. Today that number is significantly less – 32%. Almost halving in just five years. Are we regressing?

The overall picture is a bleak one, but we in this industry know advertising can help to balance the scales- because we know the intricate details and statistics of how advertising can change perceptions and minds.

Outvertising, the not-for-profit LGBTQIA+ advertising and marketing advocacy group, was established in 2019 purely to advocate to brands and their partners for improved queer visibility in advertising, because we know media can have a huge impact on social attitudes. And we’ve seen the power that brands such as Nike and Starbucks hold when they include trans people in their campaigns. 

Matt Rhodes, of House 337 summed it up well  last year:

 "We have an ability to increase genuine representation through the work we create – to show people both the normality of LGBTQ+ life, and the lack of equality the community still experiences. To show people in these communities that their lives are valid. We shouldn’t shun our responsibility here – representation in media and advertising changes opinions. And it almost certainly saves lives too.’

For people in this industry who aren’t trans themselves, it is perhaps a day to think about how this industry has the power to shape perceptions, opinions and to do good.