Chicago celebrates Trans Day of Visibility
CHICAGO — Across Chicago and around the world, March 31 marks International Trans Day of Visibility.
This weekend, a variety of events, one at the UIC Forum on Friday focused on policy, and a pageant on the West Side on Saturday focused on performance.
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“Tonight we are showing the queer culture is not in just one neighborhood in Chicago, queer culture is across our great city,” Precisou Brady-Davis said.
The Day of Visibility began 15 years ago as a counterpoint to the Trans Day of Remembrance in November, which pays tribute to trans people lost to violence.
The Day of Visibility instead honors and highlights the community living and thriving every March 31.
Saturday’s pageant raised money for Lois’ House.
“This is for trans youth,” Zahara Bassett, the founder of Life is Work, said. “This will be a first of its kind that we’re bringing to Chicago and trans people need safe spaces.”
Life is Work provides support services to trans-Chicagoans.
“The march to progress is two steps forward and one step back,” Maddy Morphosis, a contestant on season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, said. “It’s still going and still moving forward.”
Morphosis came to Chicago for the pageant and to talk about his education on the trans community as a straight man.
“People are scared of what they don’t understand and I think trans visibility is so important to see, embrace it and realize that ‘Oh these are just people oo who are living their authentic selves,” Morphosis said.
Authenticity, they say, is at the heart of this day and their lives.
“People who are uneducated put you outside their box of what they think is normal, but we’re all regular people and events like this, we’re allowed to showcase that we’re human and we all have talents and showcased to more people than the opportunities we’re allowed to see,” Alexandrea Diamond said.
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