It’s a tragedy that 2021 is the most deadly year for trans people on record – but not a surprise

Last weekend, for the first time, hundreds of trans people took to the streets of Japan to call on their fellow citizens to recognise human rights for the trans community and fight against transphobia.

Four hundred people marched through the area around Shinjuku station in Tokyo on 20 November, carrying pink, white and blue trans Pride flags and placards carrying pro-trans messages like “We do not tolerate trans hate”.

The Tokyo march was organised by two trans activists to coincide with Trans Day of Remembrance, which is held to honour the memory of trans people whose lives were lost during the previous year to transphobic violence.

Transphobic violence resulting in death is monitored by the Trans Murder Monitoring Project (TMMP), which this year published a record number of 375 deaths of trans and gender-diverse people – more than one person killed every day and an increase of seven per cent on the previous year.