IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 263 

Supporting the goals and ideals of the International Day Against Homophobia 

and Transphobia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 14, 2015 

Ms. LEE (for herself, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Ms. 

JUDY CHU of California, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. 

TAKANO, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. TONKO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. 

SPEIER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. PERLMUTTER, 

Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. POCAN, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

HASTINGS, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. POLIS, Mr. NADLER, Ms. 

SLAUGHTER, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, 

Mr. ENGEL, Mr. HONDA, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. 

KUSTER, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. 

CARSON of Indiana, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. KILMER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. FARR, 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. HIMES, Mr. PETERS, 

Ms. PINGREE, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. TITUS, Mr. 

QUIGLEY, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. EDWARDS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. 

BASS, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. 

FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 

Commerce and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of the International Day 

Against Homophobia and Transphobia. 


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•HRES 263 IH 

Whereas at least 9,000,000 Americans identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT), including 

2,500,000 who are school-age youth; 

Whereas, according to a February 2013 report by the Williams Institute, an estimated 3,000,000 LGBT Americans have had a child and as many as 6,000,000 American children and adults have a LGBT parent; 

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, homophobia and transphobia contribute to 

disparities in physical and mental health indicators such 

as depression, substance use, cancer, and experiences of 

abuse and violence; 

Whereas the Centers further report that homophobia and 

transphobia limit an individual’s ability to access highquality health care and negatively affects such individual’s income and employment status; 

Whereas homophobia and transphobia are associated with minority stress that may underlie sexual behaviors that can 

increase risk of HIV and AIDS transmission, and also 

create additional barriers for LGBT individuals to access 

prevention and treatment for HIV and AIDS; 

Whereas, according to the Global Commission on HIV and 

the Law, homophobia and transphobia contributes to disproportionately high rates of HIV among men who have 

sex with men and transgender women; 

Whereas, according to a 2011 survey by the Gay, Lesbian & 

Straight Education Network, 8 out of 10 students who 

identify as LGBT were harassed at school in the past 

year due to their sexual orientation, 64 percent felt unsafe at school, and 30 percent skipped an entire day of 

school in the past month because of safety concerns; 


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•HRES 263 IH 

Whereas youth who are LGBT or are perceived to identify as 

LGBT are more likely to smoke, use alcohol and drugs, 

skip school, or engage in other risky behaviors, and 

LGBT youth account for up to 40 percent of approximately 2,000,000 homeless youth who are likely to lack 

access to health care and develop stress-related disorders; 

Whereas youth who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are 

four times more likely to attempt suicide, and youth who 

are questioning their sexual orientation are three times 

more likely to attempt suicide, as compared to their heterosexual counterparts; 

Whereas 41 percent of Americans who identify as 

transgender have attempted suicide, and 19 percent report refusal of medical care; 

Whereas LGBT families are often not granted equal access 

to health insurance and are more likely to live in poverty; 

Whereas anti-LGBT violence is the third most frequent bias 

crime, and among those reporting this crime, transgender 

women, people of color, and youth faced the most severe 

violence as a result of the crime; 

Whereas 76 countries still criminalize homosexuality, and 

LGBT people in these countries face violence, increased 

discrimination, and blackmail; 

Whereas, according to a recent study across 15 countries, 

transgender women were nearly 50 times more likely to 

have HIV, and there were 1,509 reported killings of 

transgender people in 61 countries between 2008 and 

2014; and 

Whereas the European Parliament and other international 

bodies observe May 17 as an International Day Against 

Homophobia and Transphobia: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 263 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of an Inter3 national Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia; 

4 (2) encourages the Federal Government, States, 

5 localities, nonprofit organizations, schools, and com6 munity organizations to observe the day with appro7 priate programs and activities, with the goal of in8 creasing public knowledge of homophobia and 

9 transphobia and empowering communities to cele10 brate and respect their diversity; 

11 (3) encourages health care providers to offer 

12 culturally and clinically competent care to the LGBT 

13 community, schools to support the creation of gay14 straight alliances to achieve safer learning environ15 ments, and individuals to learn about national re16 sources for those who identify as LGBT; and 

17 (4) encourages the Federal Government, States, 

18 international funding organizations, and U.S. bilat19 eral and multilateral aid efforts to prioritize the 

20 health and human rights of LGBT people. 

Æ 


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