Title
Declaring March 31, 2019 as Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, We celebrate the existence of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. We value their resilience, their vibrancy, and their ability to push society further towards inclusion for everyone; and
WHEREAS, We recognize that visibility is not always enough. Until we have true justice and equity for transgender and non-binary people, visibility will always carry some risk. Still far too many transgender and non-binary people, in particular trans women of color, continue to face profound threats to their safety and well being; and
WHEREAS, At least one transgender person has already been killed this year. Dana Martin, 31, was a Black transgender woman from Hope Hull, Alabama. She is still loved; and
WHEREAS, Many transgender people are killed and not honored because the media misreports their identities. For each transgender person killed or lost this year and in years past, we mourn them, we honor them, and we re-commit to fighting for them, even when we do not know their names; and
WHEREAS, Numerous organizations and movements, including the #MeToo movement founded by Tarana Burke and the National Center for Transgender Equality, recognize that transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people face disproportionate rates of violence; and
WHEREAS, In the face of these hardships, transgender people continue to inspire the world with their humor, their art, and their spirit; and
WHEREAS, We celebrate everything transgender people have accomplished throughout history, and we recognize that transgender people have contributed and continue to contribute to the betterment of our society and our City. In particular, trans women of color including Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major, and Marsha P. Johnson were instrumental in the fight against all forms of oppression, participating in the 1965 Dewey lunch counter protests in Philadelphia, the ...
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