Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which commemorates all those who have fallen victim to transphobic violence.

For this occasion and to show its commitment in putting an end to the discrimination of transgender people, the European Commission announces the release of the most recent testimony of the #EU4LGBTI video series. This video tells the moving story of Tovaldas, a transman from Lithuania, and his grandmother who has always supported him although being from a different generation.

While explaining the issues he, as so many others from the transgender community, faces throughout life, Tovaldas also focusses on his experience with the legal gender recognition procedure. As he explains, "[I]t was very strange to go the court because of that. I hadn't done anything wrong". The video raises awareness about what it means to be transgender in our society. The story of Tovaldas shows that greater acceptance of transgender people in society is necessary and possible.

On the Transgender Day of Remembrance all persons murdered because of transphobia are remembered. Let us not forget them, and let us not forget that even today transgender persons are being murdered because of their actual or perceived gender identity. Civil society organisation Transgender Europe collects information on transphobic violence world-wide: Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project.

By releasing this video the European Commission joins the global commemoration of victims of transphobic violence and reiterates its commitment in advancing LGBTI equality. #EU4LGBTI #TDOR

To find out more about the European Commission's policies to advance LGBTI equality: http://ec.europa.eu/lgbti.