Transgender Day of Remembrance
This year’s commemoration of the International Transgender Day of Remembrance is historic in a few ways: Never before in the 23 years since its origin have so many trans and gender nonconforming people lost their lives to violence. The Human Rights Campaign counts at least 47 names that will be read at ceremonies across the U.S.
A 48th victim was reported by Sue Kerr of PGHLesbian.com on Saturday: Danyale Johnson, 35, of Memphis, Tenn. Like the majority of those murdered, Johnson was Black and identified as a transgender woman.
But even that’s not the whole picture. As Forbes.com’s Jamie Wareham reported earlier this month, the death toll around the world is at least 375, the deadliest year since record-keeping began.
The other historic milestone is that the U.S. has a president in the White House who took notice of this day, of that death toll, and of the growing epidemic of violence against an already-marginalized community.
“Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we mourn those we lost in the deadliest year on record for transgender Americans, as well as the countless other transgender people—disproportionately Black and brown transgender women and girls—who face brutal violence, discrimination, and harassment,” said Pres. Joe Biden in a statement issued by the White House. “ In spite of our progress strengthening civil rights for LGBTQI+ Americans, too many transgender people still live in fear and face systemic barriers to freedom and equality.
“To ensure that our government protects the civil rights of transgender Americans, I charged my team with coordinating across the federal government to address the epidemic of violence and advance equality for transgender people,” said Biden. “I continue to call on state leaders and lawmakers to combat the disturbing proliferation of discriminatory state legislation targeting transgender people, especially transgender children.”
These were Biden’s first public remarks about the spate of hate bills and laws that are now on the books since Texas became the 10th state in the nation to ban trans students from competing in school sports according to their authentic gender identity. Earlier this summer, the state government in Texas declared gender affirming medical care for trans youth to be “child abuse.”
“As I have said before, these bills are nothing more than bullying disguised as legislation, they are un-American, and they endanger the safety and well-being of our children,” said the president. “I also continue to urge the Senate to swiftly pass the Equality Act so that all people are able to live free from fear and discrimination.”
He concluded: “Transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But no person should have to be brave just to live in safety and dignity. Today, we remember. Tomorrow—and every day—we must continue to act.”
Biden is the first president in five years to mark this solemn day for the LGBTQ community. His predecessor, Donald J. Trump, targeted trans Americans by banning their service in the military and took other actions through his administration that discriminated against their ability to work, receive an equal public education and enjoy equal rights.
Pres. Biden ended the military ban on his first day in office earlier this year.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also issued a statement in support of TDOR Saturday, as did the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services, where the highest-ranking transgender member of the president’s Cabinet serves: Adm. Rachel Levine.
The White House also used this occasion to share information about its newly-passed bill in the House: The Build Back Better Bill, which is of course subject to Senate approval, and addresses specific needs of the LGBTQ community.
You can read that White House fact sheet by clicking here.
Click here to learn about the 47 transgender and gender nonconforming people whose names will be read at TDOR services across the U.S. this evening, courtesy of HRC.
