For the first time in history supporters raised the blue, pink and white flag of the trans community at McDougall Centre in Calgary and at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton Sunday.
The raising of the transgender pride flag marks the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to reflect on the lives of transgendered people who have been bullied or even killed around the world.
READ MORE: Flag raised at Queen’s Park to mark International Transgender Day of Remembrance
“It’s still tragic that people are there not just bullied, harassed and discriminated against, but in many instances they are still being killed worldwide,” Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley said. “I think that’s something that should be a problem for everyone. I think we should all be working to do the best we can to make an inclusive society and to ensure that we are doing our best to push everyone that way.”
Transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith started the annual event as a way to honour the memory of Rita Hester.
Hester was a transgender woman killed in 1998 in Allston, Massachusetts. Events today are happening all across the world but mostly in the US.
Interactive Map: Trans Day of Remembrance Events Across the World
-With files from Peter Kim