Ball State Assistant Lecturer in Media Design Leo Caldwell, hosted an on-campus event March 31 to celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility, recognizing trans students.
“I hope [the event] allows [transgender people] to know they’re seen and there’s a space from them,” Caldwell said.
Transgender Day of Visibility is a national day of recognition March 31. Caldwell took on an interactive and digital approach to honor the day.
The event began under the Bell Tower landmark on campus, with attendees ranging from students, other university faculty, as well as fellow friends of Caldwell’s.
Caldwell said he organized the event because trans students deserve to have a “safer space” on campus and for the university to “hold space” for trans students as well.
The event was then moved indoors to the David Letterman building where interactive activities awaited attendees.
With the help of funding from the university’s Office of Inclusive Excellence, a department that “strategically, proactively, and intentionally connects to underserved community populations,” according to its website, the Trans Day of Visibility event was able to provide engaging tablets for attendees to learn about living a day in the life as a trans person.
“I hope people actually leave and understand a little bit more about the trans experience,” Caldwell said.
The tablets depicted real-life scenarios of everyday tasks or necessities that trans people face on a daily basis, creating an engaging and educational experience for attendants, including QR codes.
Amid recent anti-DEI legislation at Ball State, Caldwell wants to make sure that all trans students know that they are “seen” and that “there is space for them.”
“I hope [the event] does touch their heart(s) and makes them realize there are not only faculty, but also, staff and students that really support and love and care for [the transgender community],” Caldwell said.
Many attendants from around the Muncie community sought to show their support for Caldwell’s event.
Matt Miller, who heard about the event from friends, said decided to attend because he wanted to make sure trans people feel welcome and accepted, noting that it is important in “today’s environment”.
“It’s important for any trans people, to recognize that there are plenty of people that care about them and want them to thrive today,” Miller said.
Another attendant, Deborah Miller, said she has been “good friends” with Caldwell and explained her reasoning for attending the event is because she wants to keep supporting trans people “with all of the things that are going on that are trying to silence this community.”
She recalled growing up in Muncie and growing up conservative, and said she didn’t know about transgender rights until she was older.
Now, she said it is more important now than ever to get involved and be an advocate.
“If they think about these issues, and then if they feel a certain way about it, to act on that instead of just sitting at home,” Deborah said.
Caldwell was very pleased with his event, saying that even though it was small he was really excited seeing many different people interact with the experience.
“I think just having holding space, even if there is not a lot of people there, is important right now,” Caldwell said.
Contact Linnea Sundquist at linnea.sundquist@bsu.edu.
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