Advocates hosted a convocation on Wednesday to celebrate International Transgender and Two-Spirit Day of Visibility. The day, which takes place annually on March 31,  is intended to recognize and honor the experiences and stories of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals.

Maille Goodwill, a sophomore social work and American Sign Language interpreting major and Advocates leader, said that the day often gets confused with Transgender Day of Remembrance, which takes place in November and is intended to remember transgender individuals who have died. According to Goodwill, the visibility convocation was intended to have a more positive focus.

“This is about making sure that people are being heard and that everyone is able to have a space to share their story and just celebrate the fact that … though there is a lot of oppression, there can also be a lot of beauty in that experience,” she said.

Goodwill, along with other Advocates leaders Ellie Nickel, a senior social work major, and Mireya Alemán, a sophomore art and English double major, began Wednesday’s convocation with a short presentation on history and context. This included the definition of some key terms and a quote from the founder of Transgender Day of Visibility, Rachel Crandall Crocker.

Goodwill then transitioned to an overview of the recent legislation regarding transgender rights. She reported that, as of February 2026, 645 anti-trans bills had been proposed, with 17 failing and three passing. These bills included proposals to ban transgender individuals from participating in school sports and the U.S. military.

“The idea that we can legislate away trans people’s existence is the problem,” Goodwill said. “We have come so far, but there’s still further to go.”

Next, in a section entitled “Words on Visibility,” the Advocates leaders read quotes from activists, such as Toni-Michelle Williams and Reverend Debra J. Hopkins, that spoke to the purpose and power of visibility and representation.

The largest portion of the convocation was dedicated to sharing the stories of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals in Goshen College’s community. These stories, collected over the past week, were submitted anonymously to protect the safety of the authors. The stories covered a range of topics including religion, school and familial relationships.

Julia Miller, a junior biochemistry major, attended the convocation. She stated that she found the stories to be deeply impactful.

“I was just struck by the resilience throughout these stories,” Miller said. “I really appreciated the transparency and vulnerability that was shared.”

Advocates hoped that sharing the stories would bring a sense of awareness to the transgender experience. “It’s our hope that these stories remind you that trans people are people that are deserving of the same visibility and rights as cisgender people,” Nickel told the audience.

Alemán expressed a similar sentiment, adding that she hoped the stories brought a sense of comfort to transgender and gender nonconforming individuals.

“There are so many people that I have met … who don’t necessarily feel like they’re in the correct environment to be who they really are,” she said. “I hope these people feel a bit more at peace with themselves and feel a bit at peace with their community and with those around them.”

Both Alemán and Goodwill stated that they hoped the convocation served as a reminder of the supportive, uplifting community that Advocates and GC strives to build.

“It’s important to make sure that everyone knows that they have a place and that they are important … and that they have a space to be who they are and that they’re not being put down” Goodwill said.