March 31, 2026, is now International Transgender Day of Visibility in Thurston County, the county Board of Health proclaimed Tuesday.
First established in 2009, International Transgender Day of Visibility recognizes and celebrates the transgender community, promoting visibility, understanding and equality.
“Let's come together to honor the resilience, achievements, and contributions of transgender individuals in our community and beyond,” Thurston County Public Health and Social Services said in a social media post social media post on Tuesday, March 10.
The proclamation cites data from the Williams Institute and the City of Olympia’s 2023 discrimination survey, noting that roughly 66,300 individuals in Washington state identify as transgender and that 10% of Olympia’s population identifies as transgender or nonbinary.
The proclamation also notes that transgender individuals face disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination and violence.
“Thurston County recognizes the significant contributions made by people that
identify as transgender and affirms that they are vital members of our community,” the proclamation reads.
As part of the proclamation, the county “urges all residents to celebrate the accomplishments made by people who identify as transgender and honor the lives of individuals that have been lost.”
International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by U.S.-based transgender advocate Rachel Crandall to acknowledge and honor the successes achieved by people who identify as
transgender, while raising awareness of the work that still needs to be done to save lives within the transgender community.
