A transgender support group led by Ian Pike, a junior studying civil engineering and member of GLBT Community Alliance, organized a memorial in Wolf Plaza for the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Thursday with the help of GLBT Community Alliance, the NC State GLBT Center and the NC State Women’s Center.
The memorial consisted of a Silent Witness, a red silhouette symbolizing those who have been lost to domestic violence, which was donated by the Women’s Center. Onlookers were invited to place paper flowers with the names of victims attached at the feet of the Silent Witness.
The organizers set up tables with information about how to get involved and passed out pledges that people could sign about how they planned to oppose violence against transgendered people. There were stickers passed out that had people’s desired pronouns on them, which provided a way to start conversations.
“I think the sticker campaign is actually one of the biggest impacts of the event in that people who wore them around campus weren’t just reaching people who passed through Wolf Plaza, but the entire campus community to start that dialogue that raises awareness and leads to more acceptance,” said Darren Lipman, the president of GLBT Community Alliance and a senior studying mathematics and political science.
For Pike, it was his first year being actively involved in the planning of the events for Transgender Day of Remembrance.
“Seeing people’s reactions to the number of victims saying, ‘Wow I had no idea,’ I think it really enlightened people to the issues for the trans community,” Pike said.
According to Pike, all of the pledge cards made beforehand were signed and then pinned up in the shape of the Trans-Pride Flag. More than 200 of the paper flowers were posted by the memorial.
The student body responded well to the event, with many more students than expected expressing interest.
For J Hallen, a sophomore studying business marketing and the treasurer of GBLT Community Alliance, the turnout was especially encouraging.
“I was overwhelmed by the amount of support from the NCSU community regarding pledge cards,” Hallen said. “I was floored by the support.”
Pike said he has seen improvement on NC State’s campus in the way that trans students are included. He says that people like Laverne Cox, a transgender television actress who visited NC State campus recently, and movements in popular culture have had a great impact on the smaller communities.
