Bellevue, WA – Banners and signs in support of the transgender community cover the lawn of Bellevue First United Methodist Church. Now through December 3rd. the temporary installation can be seen on the front lawn of the church at 1934 108th Ave NE in Bellevue, WA.
Along with signs of love and support are banners for each of 52 trans people killed in the United States due to anti-transgender violence and discrimination since last year. The memorial banners are a part of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which took place, virtually, on November 20th.
This past Sunday the display spread along NE 12th ST in Bellevue from 9 am – 5 pm, attracting the attention of pedestrians and drivers alike. “I was deeply moved by the display on many levels. Simply seeing so much work put into it and such a huge display (occupying space in cis straight Bellevue) was powerful.”, commented one member of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Bellevue/Eastside. PFLAG is the primary support, education, and advocacy organization for building LGBTQ inclusive families.
The display came out of a desire to make TDOR, and the support of the church and other groups, more public. It was originally planned as an in-person demonstration which had to be cancelled because of COVID restrictions.
“I spent quite a while on Sunday morning walking through McCormick park and reliving the pictures and stories from TDOR. It was a very moving and well thought out display, and a head-on collision of both sadness and joy.”, commented Maille McDonald, a member of Emerald City Social Club, the primary online and in-person meeting space for the trans community in the Seattle area. She added “It’s comforting beyond words to know we have allies out there such as the people of First United Methodist Church of Bellevue.”
Groups sponsoring the display and Transgender Day of Remembrance include Bellevue First United Methodist Church, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Bellevue/Eastside, Emerald City Social Club, and Seattle Progressive Asian American Christians (SPAAC).
About Bellevue First United Methodist Church of Bellevue
Bellevue First United Methodist Church is a church with a commitment to social justice, care for the marginalized, community building, and meaningful worship. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999, commemorating all the transgender people lost to violence. It is held every year on November 20th. (https://www.glaad.org/tdor). Along with Emerald City Social Club, Bellevue First United Methodist Church has hosted TDOR for 5 years.
