Transgender and Gender-Expansive Empowerment

This month is an opportunity to celebrate the limitless creativity and grounded realities of transgender and gender-expansive individuals. The expression of one’s gender identity is a magnificent dialectic of holding the individual reins of personal creation in one hand and a sense of everyday, common, shared humanity in the other. This shared humanity is why it is important to highlight the nuances associated with this moment in time for transgender and gender-expansive individuals. 

November 2025 marks the beginning of Transgender Awareness Month, encompassing Transgender Awareness Week from November 13th - 19th and the observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance on Thursday, November 20th, 2025. 

Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 when advocates and activists Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Nancy Nangeroni and Jahaira DeAlto hosted a vigil to memorialize and remember the brutal and remorseful murders of several Black transgender women, Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts, Chanelle Pickett in Watertown, Massachusetts, and Monique Thomas in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Now in its 26th year, TDoR memorials across the country will include candlelight vigils, marches, art shows, film screenings and services to honor and uplift the names of those bright and brilliant transgender and gender expansive individuals whose lives were taken far too soon by individual and state violence.

So far in 2025, over 1,000 anti-trans bills have been introduced nationwide to block trans and gender-expansive people from accessing critical health care, education, legal recognition and the right to legally and safely exist. These bills will impact and restrict the expression of trans and gender-expansive identities for people of color the most. Each individual bill is an attempt to crush a crucial element of our shared humanity: to change and to transform. Each individual bill makes life harder for people who are simply looking to live and to thrive. To create and transform their lives to include safety, rest, community and joy. To be seen as active participants in our shared humanity. 

For cisgender individuals, TDoR is an opportunity to reflect on two critical questions, first: “how do I know I am the gender that I am?” without relying on references to individual body parts or traditionally gendered terms. Any difficulty in answering this question speaks to the strict and “all or nothing” expectations of the gender binary and is a question most transgender and gender-expansive people spend great time contemplating. Secondly, take some time to reflect: “what can and will I do to help make this world safer for transgender and gender expansive individuals, particularly transgender people of color?” Because transgender people are your neighbors, your community members, your friends, your family, your coworkers. The transgender community is here and needs your help protecting this shared humanity. 

To all of our transgender and gender-expansive clients, past, present and future: thank you for being here now. You are known and you are seen and you are loved. Your experiences and expressions of boundless, nuanced, delectable presence are critical to both your personal creation and this shared humanity. If no one has said this to you today, this week, this month or this year: I’m glad you’re here. Take the time you need to reflect and grieve the violence perpetrated towards our community. Please also take the time to rest, to engage in supportive action, to create, to dance, to love. To know who you are and what possibilities that creates for you right now. 

Your joy is realistic and it is attainable. Take up the reins. 

This month Looking Glass Counseling is proud to support the Somerville Food Coalition. The Somerville Food Coalition is a group of food access organizations and community leaders. The Coalition itself does not accept donations of money, time, or food. You can support us by helping our member organizations meet Somerville residents’ food, nutrition, and other needs. See their website for how to offer impactful support.

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Alanah Hodges, LCSW is a clinical social worker who received her Master of Social Work (MSW) and Specialization in Trauma and Violence from Boston University School of Social Work. She has previously worked in nonprofits, schools, youth housing, music performance groups and outpatient mental health.. They have

experience working in public schools, early childhood education and non-profits that led them to pursuing a career helping people solve problems. She is a compassionate and driven transgender woman who believes that all her clients have the knowledge and ability within themselves to handle life’s greatest stressors. Alanah views her therapeutic work as a tool for helping clients understand more about themselves, their connections and the world around them through humor, empathy and creativity.

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