On Monday, March 31, Stony Brook University’s LGBTQ* Services and Gender Equality New York (GENY) hosted a vibrant queer artist expo in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility.

From 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., wide-eyed attendees huddled around tables that showcased a diverse, chromatic array of multimedia artworks by transgender, intersex and non-binary creatives. 

Pieces ranged from whimsical miniature paper-mache octopuses to life-sized abstract art paintings emblazoned with daisies. The artists behind the pieces smiled tenderly and eagerly engaged with curious attendees. Additionally, spoken personal word poetry and heartfelt musical performances touching on the lived experiences of transgender artists occurred throughout the night. 

Tables near the entrance and back were dedicated to sharing resources for LGBTQ individuals and friends and families of the community. Informational pamphlets and flyers included advice for parents of transgender children, housing under human rights laws and upcoming rallies advocating for transgender athletes.

Maria O’Leary, social media and operations manager for GENY, discussed GENY’s traditional celebrations for Transgender Day of Visibility.

“This is our fourth annual transgender artist expo. And when we approached this year, we were lucky to partner with LGBTQ* services. [Now] more than ever, it’s important to celebrate giving artists a chance to show their art,” O’Leary said. “We want to let these artists know two things: they are seen and we’re not going anywhere.”

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An attendee at the artist expo on Monday, March 31. JOYCE CORDERO/THE STATESMAN

At the event, Kari K. Barry, a Stony Brook alumna and artist, presented “Dysphoriei,” an analog photography series. “Dysphoriei” used the power of double exposure to showcase her feelings of unwanted exposure to androgens and estrogens.

Black and white photos of a woman and a man’s somber facial expressions overlapped were used to document the gender dysphoria Barry felt during transitioning. She described one of the photos as “effectively two souls sharing the same body, the genesis effect.”

Dolores Covrigaru, mother of Annette Covrigaru, an artist whose photography was featured at the event, presented on Annette Covrigaru’s behalf due to their absence and expressed the significance of Transgender Day of Visibility in her life.

“To me, it’s a celebration of the lives of all trans people,” she added. “To be out and proud to be trans.”

She expressed the influence of family support in a child’s transition.

“A supportive family could be the difference between life and death. We want trans kids to become trans adults,” she added. “When a kid transitions, a whole family transitions.”

An hour into the event, Maxine Moylan, assistant director of Diversity, Intercultural and Community Engagement — DICE — centers, opened up about her connection to the holiday.

“I, myself, am a transgender woman, so Transgender Day of Visibility is obviously near and dear to my heart. As most of you are already aware, by being here today, March 31, is Transgender Day of Visibility,” she said.

Moylan then traced back to the roots of the holiday and its relevance today.

 “What you might not be aware of, though, is how young, relatively speaking, this day of observance actually is. Rachel Crandall Crocker, executive director of Transgender Michigan, organized the first Transgender Day of Visibility back in 2009, only 16 years ago. That means that this day of visibility is younger than practically every person in this room,” she said.

Moylan then discussed what most people think of Transgender Day of Remembrance when it comes to holidays about transgender people and the reason why Transgender Day of Visibility was made.

“And while Trans Day of Remembrance is important, Trans Day of Visibility serves a different purpose. Instead of memorializing us after we’ve become a statistic, Trans Day of Visibility seeks to raise awareness, proactively, of topics and issues pertaining to transgender and nonbinary individuals,” she said.

She talked about the relevance of the holiday today in light of the current political administration.

“Despite the fact that transgender individuals make up approximately 1% of the [United States] population, we’ve been the focus of more than 800 pieces of legislation in 2025 alone. However, Trans Day of Visibility is not simply a day that exists to educate folks outside the community. It’s also not exclusively a day for mourning or solemn reflection,” she added.

“By elevating trans individuals and centering us in the conversation, we can dispel many of the hurtful myths and misconceptions that people tend to have,” she said. “We can begin to address the ignorance and assumptions held by many within the general public, simply by being our best selves, living our best lives.”

Afterward, Juli Grey-Owens, executive director and board president of GENY, expressed her gratitude for the LGBTQ* center services team and delved into the mission of her organization.

“For all of us here for the Transgender Day of Visibility, it is so important for us to support each other, to be together in [the] community and to fight together because we are facing that issue. My organization regularly provides training to local and state agencies, organizations, colleges and universities and healthcare organizations,” she said.

She discussed the policies against transgender athletes in Nassau County and advocated for an upcoming protest.

“And last year, we were very proud to provide public pushback for the discriminatory actions from the Nassau County Legislature,” she added. “Every month since the passage, we’ve been providing gender 101 trainings to the legislature during the three-minute public comment at their meetings. Last year, we facilitated four rallies to oppose that hateful legislation. I do want to let you know that on May 31st this year, the day before Pride starts, my organization will be holding a rally — rain or shine — on the steps of the Nassau County [Legislature] Building in Mineola to fight discrimination that the county has created and to let other community members who might be in hiding know that we will make the public aware of our community and its needs and its rights,” she added.

Turning back to the festivities of the night, Grey-Owens spoke about the embracement of expression by the LGBTQ+ community.

“Tonight we celebrate leadership, talent, resilience and cultural contributions of gender-expansive people everywhere. Hopefully, this event will elevate the community of members’ lived experiences and provide positive visibility, which, now more than ever, is essential in a world where the concept of anything other than two genders is repugnant to many people. In celebrating today, we look to support those community members who have decided to live authentically and openly.”

Grey-Owens introduced the first performer of the night, Serena Davanzo, who read her poem “Nature’s Little Gifts.”

She then welcomed Finnegan O’leary, a transgender male musician who was greeted with smiles from the audience.

O’Leary sang his song “Recognize” (2020), which touched on his experiences of being dead-named and looked down upon by former friends and family.

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Finnegan O’leary performing his original music at the artist expo on Monday, March 31. JOYCE CORDERO/THE STATESMAN

He passionately strummed an upbeat guitar beat and powerfully sang his lyrics with his eyes closed, leaning into the music.

O’Leary then performed a second song that opened up about his experiences of feeling unattractive after his transition. 

Afterward, Grey-Owens welcomed Barry to perform two musical pieces, which detailed her gender dysphoria amid transition.

With heart, she sang lyrics such as, “I’m a mess of skin and bones, trying to call this place my home,” and “I’m a human being, but all I have is a bucket of blood to try and drown my sorrows. And that ain’t enough to make me who I want to be.”

Then, the audience exploded in applause, and Moylan came out to address the end of the performances as the festivities went on. Despite widespread political pushback against the LGBTQ community, members continue to powerfully celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility as an act of resistance and resilience.

John Schindler, intersex advocate and co-founder of Intersex Friends and Families, a Facebook group with over a thousand members, expressed “Until they bust down that closet door. We will continue to say ‘We’re here. We’re queer and we matter.’”