A display meant to celebrate visibility and belonging has instead sparked concern and calls for accountability in Pittsford, New York, after dozens of transgender awareness ribbons were removed in what officials describe as a deliberate act.
The ribbons, installed by the nonprofit Pittsford CommUNITY to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility, had been placed on village lampposts with an approved permit. Organizers say 63 ribbons were installed, but when volunteers returned days later, 60 had been cut down and discarded.
According to local officials, the ribbons were removed on the evening of April 2, around 9 p.m. Pittsford Village Mayor Alysa Plummer called the act “mean-spirited” and urged anyone with information to come forward.
The nonprofit behind the display says the incident goes beyond vandalism. For organizers, the ribbons were a visible signal of inclusion and support for transgender residents and other marginalized groups. Their sudden removal has raised concerns about what message that sends.
“We put up ribbons for Transgender Day of Visibility,” said Pittsford CommUNITY president Tharaha Thavakumar, noting that the group had followed proper procedures to secure a permit.
After confirming that neither volunteers nor village staff had taken them down, the organization filed a police report. Security footage from nearby businesses reportedly shows a person wearing a green hoodie removing the ribbons, though authorities have not yet identified a suspect.
In a public statement shared with village leaders, Pittsford CommUNITY emphasized the broader impact of the act. The group said the removal of the ribbons sends a message not only to transgender residents but also to anyone who has questioned whether they belong in the community.
“When symbols of support are torn down, the message sent is not just to one group,” the statement reads. “It tells people that acceptance is fragile.”
The ribbons had also been displayed in Pittsford the previous year as part of a broader show of solidarity following the killing of transgender man Sam Nordquist, highlighting an ongoing effort by local advocates to foster visibility and support.
Community members are now being asked to assist in the investigation. Officials are encouraging anyone with surveillance footage or information from the evening of April 2 to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
For advocates, the hope is that the response will reinforce the message the ribbons were meant to convey in the first place: that visibility matters, and that support for transgender people is not conditional or easily erased.
