What visibility means for trans people today

Pictured above: Out In Schools facilitator Ava (left) and Education Director Gavin (right) after a presentation.

Happy Trans Day of Visibility! My name is Ava, I use they/them pronouns, and I am a facilitator with the Out In Schools program. I’m so excited to share my story with you on this special day. 

I grew up in Comox Valley, a small rural town on Vancouver Island. There wasn’t a lot of diversity in my community. While I rarely experienced outright homophobia or transphobia, I didn’t learn about these identities either. I got the sense that being trans or queer was a very rare thing. 

As a kid, I kept to myself a lot. I loved reading and writing stories. I would spend all day designing characters who were figuring themselves out with the help of their friends and community. These characters were shy and confused, like me, except I didn’t have anyone who really understood me. 

I knew something was different about me, but I lacked the language to describe it. I also didn’t have any role models on screen or in real life, who I felt truly represented me. 

So much of my childhood and adolescence was spent in deep self-reflection. I spent years journaling and hours upon hours on social media, scrolling through other people’s experiences with gender and sexuality just to find myself in their stories. I felt like I needed to absolutely nail down my identity before I could share it with anyone. I came out as queer at the end of high school, but it took another year or so before I came out as trans. 

I am currently studying environmental science at UBC, and for the first time in my life, I have access to affirming trans and queer spaces. I realize now what I’ve been missing all this time: a safe space to explore and experiment without having it all figured out. It’s so freeing to feel seen and accepted, to move through the world not having to explain myself.

That is the work Out In Schools does: creating space for people to see and be themselves. As a facilitator, I see it as my responsibility to be an example for trans kids, and to show them that they can live their best lives. 

Today, as we celebrate our trans and gender-diverse community, we must remind ourselves that ‘visibility’ is a double-edged sword. In the current political climate, politicians are using trans identity as a talking point, dehumanizing us and revoking our rights in the process. I’m terrified for trans folks in the United States, and I’m deeply worried about what the upcoming election holds for my community here in Canada. 

If you consider yourself an ally to trans people, now is the time to step up. I’m calling on you to mobilize your own communities and speak out against anti-trans rhetoric and policies. Show up to protests, to the voting booth, to your local mutual aid organizing meeting. Act in solidarity with us. 

We must fight for trans youth. The safety and fundamental rights of trans people are under severe attack. Now more than ever, we need to show trans youth that they are not alone. In the face of overwhelming fear, trans youth deserve to know that they will live joyful, flourishing lives—to have hope. 

That is the impact of Out In Schools. Our team works tirelessly to connect with trans youth. We continue our work making classrooms safer and more inclusive, despite the ever-mounting threat to our own mission. We can’t do this without your help.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you more stories from Out In Schools participants and facilitators. We will also announce our Spring Fundraising Campaign very soon on April 9, International Day of Pink. Stay tuned! 

Thank you for being here. Together, we can create the future that trans youth deserve. 

Ava (they/them)
Out In Schools facilitator