Maplewood To Join Students In Walk-Out For Trans Day Of Visibility

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood will be joining Columbia High School students in a Walk-Out for Trans and Queer Visibility and Autonomy Friday morning to honor International Transgender Day of Visibility, the township announced in a news release.

Columbia High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school in Maplewood. The Walk-Out, which was organized by the Columbia High School Spectrum Club and Students for Justice as part of the March for Queer & Trans Youth Autonomy, will take place during the school's third period at 9:30 am on Friday, officials said.

"Since our trans students are under attack in particular right now across the county - in the classroom, in the restrooms, in our libraries, in healthcare - we are standing with them and joining them to raise awareness and in support of their visibility," Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis said.

There are over 1.6 million transgender youths ages 13 and up and adults across the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

The Trans Day of Visibility takes place on March 31 each year to celebrate trans and non-binary people and raise awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, according to the LBGT Foundation.