Matsuda provides anecdotes of other trans students who experienced hardships. As a student at the California Academy of Sciences, Matsuda experienced being part of a team where the majority of lead researchers were white cis-gender people.
student (see his bio below), writing for Wired, points out that science prides itself on objective analysis of the world, but identity drives what questions we ask, how we answer those questions, and how we interpret data. I have had the thought a million times: I am taken more seriously." Another trans person who transitioned from female to male noted, "When I was a woman, no matter how many facts I had, people were like, 'Are you sure about that?' It's so strange not to have to defend your positions." These trans men were also able to suggest colleagues who were women for promotions because their advice was taken more seriously. Says Ben Barres of this experience: "This is why women are not breaking into academic jobs at any appreciable rate.
People who transitioned from female to male during their careers, such as Ben Barres (see his profile below), realized that there was an almost immediate difference in his everyday experience, as reported by Jessica Nordell for New Republic: "People who don't know I am transgendered treat me with much more respect." He stopped being interrupted in meetings, and another scientist actually said at a conference, "Ben gave a great seminar today - but then his work is so much better than his sister's." This person did not realize that Ben and Barbara were the same person. The statistics on the number of transgender people in the STEM fields is almost nonexistent, however, one can look to trans experiences as examples of gender bias in the workplace: many trans people stay in the same careers, and sometimes the same jobs, during and after their transitions. It is a day of empowerment and giving recognition that the trans community deserves, and takes place on March 31st of every year. It aims to bring attention to the accomplishments of trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people all around the globe, while fighting cissexism and transphobia by spreading knowledge of the trans community.
The Transgender Day of Visibility was started by the group Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER), which is the only organization in the US entirely led by trans youth. It is a day to show support for the trans community.