Trans Weekend of Visibility: a collaboration event between VRelium and Trans Academy

31 march 2026, tuesday

Graphic made by the wonderful RunaOfSpades from the Trans Academy Media Team.

"Documenting trans joy is so incredibly important."
"We're here - and we're not going anywhere."
"I just want all of my friends to know that I see you! The world will not go blind for as long as I have a voice!"

These are a few of the many wonderful statements I have personally heard throughout this weekend at this year's Trans Weekend of Visibility, an event hosted by VRelium in collaboration with Trans Academy to provide a space for trans individuals and their allies to not only be seen, but to be heard, understood, and provided a platform to express themselves unequivocally and proudly. Being able to not only be a part of this event but to witness such raw talent and emotion from the community members from this collaboration has been a great privilege and an honor.

Trans Day of Visibility was created by Rachel Crandell-Crocker, who thought of having a day for happiness and celebration of trans individuals after being emotionally impacted by the deaths of trans individuals - namedly Rita Hester, who was murdered in 1998 - and chose the day of March 31st as it was conveniently between Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience and Pride. The day stands as a time to be seen, to be proud, and to be heard as trans individuals and allies.

This post is about the organizations behind the event, the people who run them, the performers, panelists, and DJs who stood on stage, and the community who showed up to donate over hundreds of dollars to Trans Academy's cause.

VRelium is a community and collective that focuses on "empowering artists, uplifting communities and spaces, and connecting people through something universal: Music Beyond Reality." Through the creation of virtual spaces, VRelium aims to allow all performers and artists the ability and platform to freely express themselves and provide a place for them to belong, no matter how they identify or where they are from. The community not only does incredible, wide-scale fundraising events such as this Trans Weekend of Visiblity, it also does regular weekly events such as Karaoke Nights and photography events like "Frame Run".

The VRelium group is headed by BooneDoggy, the Chairman and co-founder of the organization. Their organization consists of a wide network of individuals who involve themselves in camera operations, trust and safety / security, world creation, and more! It was so lovely to meet so many passionate people from the VRelium organization who gave their all in cultivating and building up their space.

BooneDoggy performing a live vocal performance on stage.

Interested in VRelium and their work? Join their Discord server and take a look at the announcements channel for future events, follow them on Bluesky, and join their group in VRChat to know what's happening even while in game!

This event was done in collaboration with Trans Academy, a 501c3 non-profit organization with the goal of "fostering a safe, inclusive, and educational virtual environment that empowers the transgender community and their allies." Trans Academy is well-known both in and out of the virtual reality space as a community that provides events and resources to trans individuals and their allies, including lessons from dedicated professionals and meetup events by its community team. This community is a beacon for many, a third-space for trans individuals and their allies in a world where there are very few in existence.

Currently, Trans Academy has reoccuring events such as Transmasc Tea Time, Moonlit Academy, Comfy Coffee Hour, Yoga Instruction, Accessing Mental Health in the US 101, and Voice Lessons.

At the front of Trans Academy is its Director, Tizzy, who is also the Groups Relations Manager at VRChat. Trans Academy has over 60 volunteers dedicating their time and passion to its cause, with a wide array of teams such as community, trust and safety, Moonlit Academy, inclusion, morale, development operations, data, media, and many more like its class teams and broadcasting. The scope of which Trans Academy works to give its community a wide array of experiences and resources is incredibly admirable, especially since this organization started out only a few years ago.

Colorful, bright, welcoming. The venue for this event drew in audience members with its wide courtyard and ample seating and space in front of the grand stage. Pillars of rock served as the stage's foundation and frame, with a giant screen above and center of it. Several more screens surrounded the stage, providing alternative views and footage throughout the duration of the event. Several mini booths were in the courtyard area, giving audience members a space to close themselves in if they'd like. Pink blossomed trees surrounded the courtyard, with a giant flower in a glass dome towards the left of the venue. Shoutouts to other communities and spaces, such as Trans Academy, were included in the venue as well.

Friends gathered around in the courtyard in front of the stage.

The various screens surrouding one side of the stage during the Trans Academy Team Leads panel.

Schedules for the event were jam packed with live performances from singers, dancers, and DJs. Throughout the weekend from March 28th to the 29th, the event also had four unique panels sharing trans perspectives from multiple avenues. The importance of this event is very much rooted in visibility, in showing that the trans experience is not at all something that is new, or something that should be shunned and removed from mainstream media. This event is crucial to not just the virtual reality space but also beyond as it clearly shows how trans individuals and their allies are among many of us, are regular, hard-working people, that deserve a normal and well-lived life just like every human on this planet. If we are here, and if we stand together, no one can deny our existence, our presence, and our being.

More graphics for the Trans Weekend of Visibility schedule made by the amazing reptileorange from the Trans Academy Media Team

The event ran for 12 hours on both days. As both performers and attendees arrived, staff from VRelium quickly and warmly welcomed people throughout both days. The security team for VRelium made sure that the event ran smoothly, asking individuals to change avatars if they were in unoptimized ones and keeping an eye on the crowd to make sure proper decorum was upheld. Performers and panelists would come into the instance and be pulled into the world's green room for soundchecking and preparation. Communication between everyone involved in the VRelium staff was seemless as the days progressed.

One thing that remained a constant throughout the event was the overwhelming support coming from the crowd. At the very start of the event, BooneDoggy had called for people at the front of the world to come closer to the stage. During several performances, people in the audience would be cheering and calling out to the performers. Friends and loved ones from various communities showed up for the performers and panelists, and it was very heartwarming to witness. The excitement that people had in seeing their friends - trans friends and allies, to be specific - take the stage was so infectious and wholesome.

Throughout the event, donations would be announced in between performances and panels. It was honestly thrilling to hear about the donations in real time, to know that people resonated with the mission of Trans Academy and the production that VRelium put out in honor of Trans Day of Visibility throughout the weekend. To be seen is to be heard. Some donators left kind messages, with one of them dedicating their donation to a friend. To see in real time the sort of change and action these events bring is unlike anything I have ever experienced.

With the event long over, there is still a lot of work to be done. It is in the interest of both VRelium and Trans Academy to continue doing this event next year, with event organizers and coordinators already thinking about what can be done better with the year to follow.

One question remains - how can I provide help and boost visibility of trans individuals and allies even after the event?

Here are places to donate to improve the lives of trans individuals, allies, and their communities.

• Trans Academy
• Trans Lifeline
• Transgender Strategy Center
• The Trevor Project
• Trans Resistance Network