By Aleksandra Sidorova
SUNY Plattsburgh held its largest yet observance of International Transgender Day of Visibility, with a whole day of programming March 27.
Organizer Kelly Metzgar, a transgender woman, said Transgender Day of Visibility, observed March 31, is a “happy day” celebrating the contributions of transgender people while learning about the hardships they face.
“Due to discrimination, not every trans person can be visible,” Metzgar said at the reception for the occasion.
The events included a reception and two information sessions tackling topics of anti-trans legislation across the country and working with transgender athletes. Some staple events from last year’s observance — a panel discussion featuring transgender community members and a game of trivia — made a return, but this year’s was a step up to a whole day of programming, Metzgar said.
Metzgar, executive director and co-founder of the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance, has been speaking at SUNY Plattsburgh since 2016.
Michelle Dupree, a special education teacher at Stafford Middle School and SUNY Plattsburgh alumna, attended the programming as part of her professional development. Dupree also attended the sessions to learn how to better support her youngest child, whose pronouns are they/them.
Dupree said it was important to learn more about the different ways people can express themselves, whether within or outside the Plattsburgh community. Middle school is also a time for children to experiment with every facet of who they are and want to be — that can now include gender, Dupree said.
“Back in the day, we didn’t have these conversations,” Dupree said.
See more photos from Transgender Day of Visibility on Page 7 of the e-edition.
