Today the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice recognizes Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV). Two-Spirit, trans, and nonbinary people have existed across cultures and history. Trans visibility is many things. It is an act of resistance, a reflection of individual identity, or just who someone is.

TDOV is a day to recognize that trans people have always existed and will continue to exist. It is a time to reaffirm that trans people have a place in media, culture, and public life. Across the diverse cultural contexts that the Astraea Foundation supports, we recognize that trans visibility means recognizing trans people’s agency. Trans people should be in control of their representation and narratives, and have a say in when, where, and how they are visible. While we understand that not every trans person can or wants to be visible, including those who remain invisible due to safety concerns, we remain firm in our advocacy for trans people around the world no matter what their personal visibility looks like.

Through our feminist philanthropy, the Astraea Foundation is committed to celebrating the lives of transgender people and empowering them to live authentically. In 2023, over a third of our grants supported trans and nonbinary-led organizing, and 100% of our trans and nonbinary U.S. funding was for groups led by and for BIPOC.

Beyond depictions based on violence, fear, or stereotypes, we honor trans visibility rooted in joy, resilience, and resistance.

This TDoV, we are proud to have collaborated with freelance artist and designer, Emulsify, to create this beautiful illustration. To learn more about their work, please visit @emulsify.art on Instagram.