Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Councillors have this week voted to fly the Pride flag to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance today (Wednesday, November 20th).
The annual commemorative day marks the passing of people who have been killed or died because of transphobic violence or abuse.
The event is marked in many communities around the world, and for the last two years a ceremony has been held in Highbridge.
A typical commemoration includes the reading of a list of the names of people who are being memorialised. In many parts of the world simply joining a commemorative event can be dangerous. Ceremonies in the UK help to highlight the problem internationally. For the most recent period (1st October 2023 to 30th September 2024) 426 people are recorded worldwide, including four from the UK.
It had been intended to hold a ceremony in Highbridge again this year, but unfortunately an unexpected insurance issue and the cold weather have lead to the ceremony being cancelled, says a spokesperson.
Cllr Kate Pearce adds: “I am hugely disappointed that the Highbridge ceremony has had to be cancelled, which has made the Town Council agreeing to fly the Pride flag even more important this year. I hope that we will have ceremony in Highbridge again next year.”
“Too many people think it is acceptable to abuse transgender people. We should all treat each other with respect. When people see the Pride flag on Wednesday, I hope they will think about all those lives which have been lost in a year.”
It was noted by councillors that the Town Council already owns Pride flags, so there is no cost to the council.
