On Thursday, Vanderbilt held its first annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual event in its 10th year nationally. The event was sponsored by the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Life in conjunction with the Vanderbilt Divinity School.

The event was held in the All-Faiths Chapel and included a candlelit vigil, a march to the K.C. Potter Center and a program of speakers, personal stories, poetry, testimonies and communal support.

The purpose of the event was to address the violence and discrimination faced by the transgender community through the remembrance of those who have been killed from gender-based hate crimes. However, awareness is important on all levels since gender-based violence is the largest kind of hate crime in the Unites States today.

"I hear people always say 'I understand that transgender issues are important, but I don't see the direct connection that it has with me.' But in reality, we see transgressing of genders all the time, whether it is when girls are accused for not being 'lady-like' or guys are accused for not being masculine enough," said LGBTQI Office Director Nora Spencer. "In a way, we all suffer from transphobia but to different degrees. It's important to raise awareness."

In preparation for the event, multiple clubs and organizations within Vanderbilt showed their support throughout the week in ways ranging from making ribbons to raising issues of prejudice and tolerance within their respective organizations.

The Office of LGBTQI Life said it encourages all students to participate in future events in order to create greater sense of community and harmony in the future, both within Vanderbilt gates and out.