As the culminating event of Transgender Week of Visibility, Grand Valley State University’s Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center hosted a celebration with community partners, featuring keynote speaker Kayden Coleman. Throughout the week, the center hosted a variety of events highlighting trans inclusivity.
The Monday, March 31 event took place on Trans Day of Visibility, and was facilitated by the University’s resource center, the Grand Rapids Pride Center and the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation. Over 70 attendees listened to Coleman, a transgender internet personality known for his advocacy and educational content.
“(Coleman) talked about what trans visibility means to him and also touched on being unapologetically yourself,” said D. Hollowell, the assistant director of the LGBT Resource Center. “(He also) let people know you don’t have to have an encyclopedic knowledge of your identity, nor the history you’re a part of.”
LGBT Resource Center Director DL McKinney said the event was “really loving” and created community.
“There’s this feeling of ‘how do we pull each other in and make sure, out of everything in this world, we got us,’” said McKinney. “Everything in my heart was smooth.”
According to GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, Trans Day of Visibility is described as “a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination and violence the community faces compared to cisgender people.”
To Hollowell, trans visibility and the University’s celebration come down to encouraging and supporting authenticity.
“In a lot of ways, (trans visibility celebrations are) kind of our Super Bowl,” said Hollowell. “Classes are not in session during June, which is Pride Month and so we really try to squeeze what we can into trans visibility (events),” said Hollowell.
Hollowell added the goal of the celebration was to provide assistance to the University’s trans and gender-diverse community.
“We just really want to encourage (those) part of the trans community, folks who are gender diverse (and) anyone to feel like they can be in their own authentic spaces regardless of where they walk into,” Hollowell said. “We (hope) people feel they are supported and (that) they matter.”
The LGBT Resource Center kicked off Trans Week of Visibility on Tuesday, March 25 with an assembly at the Cook Carillon Tower. Justine Lindsay, a professional dancer and first trans woman cheerleader in the NFL, spoke at the event. The annual Pride Prom also took place Friday, March 28.
The LGBT Resource Center continually attempts to provide extensive resources for campus community members and promote both culture and inclusivity. Hollowell pointed toward the University’s upcoming Lavender Graduation Wednesday, April 16, a celebration of LGBTQ+ and ally graduates.
As for community resources outside of Trans Week of Visibility, the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation provides academic scholarships for transgender students, name change support, legal document updates, gender-affirming items and a support group. For those looking to support the LGBTQ+ community, The Grand Rapids Pride Center has a plethora of opportunities to volunteer, donate, attend events, shop and join committees dedicated to inclusivity.
