The City of Airdrie will observe Transgender Day of Visibility on Mar. 31 by raising the transgender flag.
During the regular council meeting on Mar. 18, the council approved Airdrie Pride Society's request to fly the transgender flag on the temporary flag pole in Nose Creek Park in honour of the Transgender Day of Visibility.
In the letter, the President of Airdrie Pride Society, Rhianne Fiolka presented gratitude for the City of Airdrie's proclamation and flag raising for Pride Month and Transgender Day of Remembrance since 2017.
"Please trust that this small action makes an incredible difference to many transgender and gender diverse individuals that call Airdrie home," Fiolka mentioned.
The International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is an annual event dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by the transgender community worldwide. Though it also a celebration of their contributions to society.
"It's certainly a moment to appreciate and show visibility while also taking a moment to raise awareness to the work that still needs to be done and the oppression that this community faces," Airdrie Pride Society treasurer, Kiersten Mohr, shared.
Mohr is a transgender female who has been a part of pride since 2017. She is passionate about creating space, inclusion and equity in the community for all individuals in the community.
"There is a host of challenges; two-spirit transgender non-conforming folks are facing a huge and heightened increase in oppression," she said. "They are actively being litigated right now in the courts [by the provincial government, who is] trying to take away their access to gender affirming care."
The ability for transgender people to be affirmed in the schools they attend is being taken away, Mohr added.
"This obviously has a huge impact on their community."
However, she shares that the City of Airdrie has been very accepting and ensuring that the community is, and continues to feel safe for, everyone in it.
