TAMWORTH is set to host its first-ever 'Trans Day of Visibility' event in a bid to improve inclusion and access in the city.
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Thursday night at the Tamworth Regional Gallery will be filled with exhibitions, photo booths, fairy floss and popcorn machines to celebrate the transgender community.
Leoni Alwell, founder of the youth pride support group 'Refracted' said an event like this would have been incredibly helpful when her own family was working through the transition of their daughter Emma.
"We couldn't find anything visible here in Tamworth for support, not just for the Tamworth youth, but for their families as well," Ms Alwell said.
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"It would have been so helpful to even know what 'transgender' was back in the early days of our journey."
The exhibition will feature photos taken by a local transgender artist and letters detailing the emotions and feelings of coming out to family.
After struggling to find support during her own transition, Emma Amity said the exhibition was a step in the right direction.
"Seeing a small community like Tamworth really step up and support the transgender community is awesome," she said.
While the event is about celebrating the transgender folk, Acon health promotion team leader Kage Gold, said they hoped to see the whole community rally behind the event.
"In regional areas it can be quite hard for people to be themselves, to be out and to be celebrated," they said.
"They shouldn't have to move from the regions to a larger city to find services and support.
"It takes allies, it takes cisgender people to step up and support trans folks to make our society better."
With more people understanding what it means to be transgender, Ms Alwell said she hoped it would break down stereotypes and misinformation.
"They are like everybody else, they have the same wishes, dreams, hopes, everything," she said.
"Hopefully people in Tamworth come along and meet some transgender people."
The event will start at 5:30pm on Thursday, and the exhibition will run for two weeks.
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