Supporting the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year.

Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance was created following the 1998 killing of Rita Hester, a transgender woman of color, whose murder has yet to be solved; Whereas, the following year on November 20, 1999, Gwendolyn Ann Smith created the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of Rita Hester and other transgender people whose lives were lost due to violence; Whereas Transgender Day of Remembrance 2023 honors the memory of the lives of transgender people tragically lost in acts of violence between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023; Whereas the United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of violence against transgender Americans; Whereas at least 33 transgender or gender nonconforming people were violently killed in the United States in 2023, a number many believe to be much higher due to the prevalence of underreporting or misreporting violence against this community; Whereas the lives of Tiffany Banks, Kelly Loving, Daniel Aston, Diamond Jackson-McDonald, Destiny Howard, Mar’Quis MJ Star Tom-Tom Whereas following the introduction of the Transgender Day of Remembrance Resolution of 2022, the lives of Morgan Moore, Kylie Monali, and London Starr were reported to have been lost to acts of violence between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022; Whereas at least 285 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been murdered worldwide in 2023, according to the Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial page from Trans Lives Matters; Whereas on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance in 2022, two transgender people—Kelly Loving and Daniel Aston—and three others—Derrick Rump, Ashley Paugh, and Raymond Green Vance—were murdered, and dozens more injured, inside Club Q in an act of anti-LGBTQI+ extremism; Whereas violence against transgender Americans disproportionately impacts transgender women of color; Whereas Black transgender women are the most targeted group to experience violence in the United States; Whereas transgender Americans face barriers to health care, such as lack of health insurance, stigma and discrimination, higher rates of unemployment, and, in an increasingly higher number of States, legal barriers to accessing medical care; Whereas transgender people disproportionately suffer from higher rates of homelessness, with reports suggesting as many as one-third of transgender women and one-half of transgender women who are Black, Middle Eastern, multiracial, or undocumented have ever experienced homelessness; Whereas almost half of all transgender people in the United States will attempt suicide at least once, and over 1 in 20 will attempt suicide each year, a rate that is almost 10 times higher than the rest of the United States population; Whereas asylum seekers and refugees who are transgender experience disproportionate rates of violence, including sexual violence, as they seek safety; Whereas transgender immigrants have died in American detention centers due to medical neglect, injury, and abuse at the hands of staff; Whereas transgender people who are housed in institutional settings such as jails and prisons are subject to high levels of violence and discrimination; Whereas transgender students are significantly more likely to experience bullying or harassment at school due to their gender identity; Whereas understanding and addressing the challenges faced by transgender Americans is hampered by a severe lack of data; Whereas Congress and the executive branch must act to protect and preserve the lives of all Americans, including transgender Americans, through inclusive legislation and policies that treat everyone with dignity and respect; Whereas the continued introduction of anti-transgender legislation has fueled violence against transgender Americans; Whereas efforts to restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare has stripped many transgender people of access to medically necessary care, led to a spike in poor mental health and suicidality among transgender youth and adults, increased bullying and assault in schools, and left parents afraid their children may be removed from their homes because they support their transgender child; Whereas the transgender community has shown great resilience in the face of adversity in all aspects of their lives, including housing, education, employment, and health care; and Whereas the transgender community has demonstrated tremendous leadership since the courageous actions of many community members, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, at the Stonewall uprising of 1969: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year; (2) recognizes that the alarming trends of increased violence against transgender Americans, particularly transgender women of color, are unacceptable, and that finding solutions to these issues must be a pressing priority for the United States Government; (3) supports efforts to study, respond to, and prevent violence against transgender people; (4) affirms the principle that every person is endowed with basic human rights and that our Nation’s commitment to this principle must encompass every single individual; (5) recognizes the bravery and resilience of the transgender community as it fights for equal dignity and respect; and (6) recognizes the multitude of contributions and cultural impact the transgender community has had on American society.

Summary: This resolution expresses support for the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year.