Trans Day of Visibility: Vital, Vibrant, and Visible

April 29, 2026

By: Tou Fong Lee, M. Ed

On March 31, 2026, Trans Day of Visibility, we came together not just to be seen, but to feel seen.

This photoshoot wasn’t about a single story or a single group. It was a shared campaign; community members, leaders, elders, and youth all showing up as they are. At the heart of it was SHEBA, Sisters Helping Each other Battle Adversity, a staple in our community and a powerful space of sisterhood for trans women. Many SHEBA members stood in front of the camera that day, not just as participants, but as anchors of strength, care, and connection. In many ways, it felt like capturing a living history.

Above: Elle (she/her)

Above: Madison (she/her)

Above: Mercedes (she/her)

Above: Janice (she/her)

Above: Ahmya (she/her)

Above: Ren (xey/xem)

Above: Crystal (she/her)

Above: Cooper (he/they)

Above: Kai (he/him)

Above: Tyra (she/her)

Above: Fushcia (she/her)

Above: Corinne (she/they)

Above: MJ (agender)

Above: Amy (she/he/they)

Above: Genevieve (she/her)

Above: Emily

There was something deeply human in the room. Laughter, reflection, softness, and truth. Together, we created something honest, something that reflects this year’s Pride theme: Vital, Vibrant, and Visible.

To be vital is to honor the quiet, ongoing strength of being here.

“In a land of ‘freedom’ we should be able to live authentically,” Crystal shares, a reminder that even when the world feels heavy, there is still life, still breath, still presence. Copper brings it back to something simple and grounding: “I’m a broke college student. I have pets. I paint. I’m just a person.” And in that, we are reminded how real and human these lives are, full, complex, and deeply felt.

For Corinne, visibility is also about care across time: “I often wonder how things would’ve been different… Now I’m out and making sure future generations… never have to believe they’re alone.” In that way, vitality becomes legacy.

To be vibrant is to allow yourself to be felt, to take up space in ways that are both bold and gentle.

“I take up space. I’m loud. I’m fashionable. I’m not allowing myself to be erased,” Copper says, holding both joy and defiance in the same breath. Amy offers something that feels like both encouragement and permission: “Yell your transness to the stars… and most importantly let it echo inside yourself.”  Vibrancy isn’t only what others see, it’s something we nurture within.

Fuschia reminds us that visibility is something people experience: “There’s someone who needs to experience me… If you see it, you can be it.” And MJ reflects on the quiet courage behind that choice: “I want to be an example… of what embracing your authentic self looks like.”

To be visible is not always loud. Sometimes, it is simply the decision not to hide.

“Not hiding,” Genevieve says; simple, but powerful. For Kai, visibility is shaped by what was missing: “Growing up I didn’t see anyone like me… It’s important for people to know they aren’t alone.” That absence is something many carry, and visibility begins to gently fill that space, with reflection, with connection, with community.

Amy names it as something deeper: “Having power over how I let others see me.” A reclaiming of self.

And still, this moment holds complexity. There are real challenges, real fears. Yet even within that, there is choice. “We’re not going anywhere,” Elle reminds us. “Silence is violence,” Kai adds.

But what lingers most from that day is not just resistance—it is care.

Mercedes offers a reflection that feels like healing: “It’s about finally feeling seen… being seen, loved, and respected, not in spite of who I am, but because of who I am.” Across generations, that visibility becomes something we can hold onto. “It means seeing trans elders… imagining a future,” Madison shares.

Tyra, at 75, embodies that future with grace: “When I wake up… I thank the lord… I live my life this way every day.” Janice brings it back to truth: “Living 24/7 in their truth… big, bold, and beautiful.”

Our Appleton location was inspired by the TDOV photoshoot and decided to bring this empowerment to community in and surrounding Appleton. Emily echoes, “Rachel Crowl was very sweet, making sure I felt safe and comfortable during my photoshoot.” They add, “I really appreciate D& and the staff are incredibly generous, and the work D&R does really make me feel less worried about the future for my fellow queer siblings.”

Reiko, Anti-Violence Program Director shares, “My favorite part of being a fly on the wall during the TDOV photoshoots was hearing the oohs, ahhs, oh wows and audible gasps the moment Rachel showed participants a first peek at their photos. It’s the sound of someone feeling seen, their beauty valued inside and out and seeing themselves reflected back.”

So when we say Vital, Vibrant, and Visible, we are not asking people to become something new. We are honoring what already exists.

We are vital because we are still here. We are vibrant because we allow ourselves to be fully felt. We are visible because, in whatever way we can, we choose not to hide.

And in that choice, there is something powerful. There is also something deeply human.

Sisters Helping Each Other Battle Adversity (SHEBA), 03/2026 

Trans Day of Visibility, for Diverse & Resilient, is both a celebration and a commitment. It is a moment to honor the lives, stories, and leadership of trans and gender-diverse people in our communities, especially those most impacted by stigma, violence, and health inequities. It is also a call to continue the work: to build spaces where trans people are not only seen, but supported, resourced, and able to thrive. Visibility, in this way, is not the end goal, it is part of a larger vision of equity, safety, and collective care.

 

Special thanks for our Milwaukee photographer, Alyssa Lentz-underwood, and our Appleton photographer, Rachel Crowl.