Happy (belated) International Transgender Day of Visibility!
For those of you who may be out of the loop, the International Transgender Day of Visibility is a holiday celebrated annually on March 31st. This day is an opportunity to highlight the existence and achievements of transgender individuals and has been internationally recognized since 2009.
In the past, Arapahoe Community College (ACC) has provided resources and goodies (including pronoun pins, stickers, and buttons) to students to recognize this day. This year, there was a desire to expand upon previous offerings to craft a more public and memorable display. As a result, for the first time ever, the Student Life Office at ACC chose to honor this day with a showcase full of pieces by queer artists.
Amidst increasing restrictions on the rights of queer and, especially, transgender populations, LGBTQ+ and allied faculty and staff at the college have made a point of showing their support for these vulnerable populations. Gracen Jinks, the Coordinator of Student Wellness & Belonging in the Student Life Office, spearheaded the coordination of this event.
On the importance of hosting such an event, Jinks shared that “having this event to make trans students and employees more visible on campus is important not only to our trans community here, so that they can feel seen and valued and have that opportunity to find support and community together; it’s also important for cisgender folks in the ACC community to know that we are here and hopefully get a little bit better of an understanding of our experience, so that the college can be a safe and welcoming place for all.”
Over a period of several weeks this semester, students and staff were invited to submit a plethora of artistic pieces including photography, poetry, embroidery, and more. On March 27th, the Student Life Office proudly displayed these pieces in the student lounge. Below are a few of these pieces.
An installment of the “Still Blooming” series by artist Aly Gombos.
“The Nerves” by artist Wybie Kurtic.
A digital drawing of lesbian popstar Chappell Roan by artist Sophie Ward.
Until April 15th, the Trans Day of Visibility art pieces will be on display in the Jantzen Gallery at the Art & Design Center. The above is only a small sampling of various pieces submitted and presented as part of this event. I would highly encourage you to visit the gallery and admire the artistic talent and vulnerability our students and staff have been kind enough to share with us.
Have any questions about the gallery display? Reach out to Gracen Jinks at [email protected]!
