International Transgender Day of Visibility

International Transgender Day of Visibility is observed every March 31st to celebrate the courage and accomplishments of the transgender community. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation estimates that nationwide, there are more than 2 million people who identify as transgender.

In Jan 2021, President Biden signed a White House Executive Order protecting and combatting discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

But state legislation aimed at limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ people, and violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are transgender, is rising sharply.

Reports published by the ACLU (ACLU – legislative attacks on LGBTQ RIGHTS) and by the Human Rights Watch (HRW anti-trans legislation) show an alarming increase of anti-LGBTQ legislation. And an interview aired on NPR describes how political rhetoric factors into violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

To meet these increasing challenges we are asking all in the community to:

•  Read the articles in the links above to stay informed, and share them with others to raise awareness.
• Be a vocal ally for the trans community. GLAAD has a great resource for becoming a better ally: https://www.glaad.org/transgender/allies

The Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Center is here to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and to educate the healthcare, education, law enforcement, and other service providers so that they may better serve our community.