Declaring November 13th through Nov 19th, 2024 as Transgender Awareness Week and November 20th as Transgender Day of Remembrance in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Transgender and gender-expansive Philadelphians are important and valued members of our City and our communities, and we recognize the resilience and leadership of trans and gender-expansive people in creating a better world for us all; and

WHEREAS, We honor and remember the lives we have lost and commit to fighting for a world where our transgender and gender-expansive neighbors receive the care and services they need and are no longer targets of violence and hate; and

WHEREAS, Transgender Awareness Week leads into Transgender Day of Remembrance, which Gwendolyn Ann Smith founded as a vigil to honor Rita Hester, a trans woman who was murdered in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2023, at least 36 transgender and gender-expansive people have been killed in the U.S. We honor and remember Amiri Reid, 21; Kejuan Richardson, 21; Jean Butchart; 26; Savannah Ryan Williams, 38; Meghan Riley Lewis; Amber Minor, 40; Kitty Monroe, 43; Righteous TK “Chevy” Hill, 35; Diamond Brigman, 26; Alex Taylor Franco, 21; Meraxes Medina, 24; África Parrilla García, 25; Tee "Lagend Billions" Arnold, 26; River Nevaeh Goddard; Andrea Doria Dos Passos; Sasha Williams, 36; Starr Brown; Kita Bee; Reyna Hernandez, 54; Brandon "Tayy Dior" Thomas, 17; Michelle Henry, 25; Yella (Robert) Clark Jr., 45; Jazlynn Johnson, 18; Liara Tsai, 35; Pauly Likens, 14; Shannon Boswell, 30; Kenji Spurgeon, 23; Monique Brooks, 49; Dylan Gurley, 20; Tai’Vion Lathan, 24; Vanity Williams, 34; Redd, also known as Barbie, 25; Kassim Omar, 29; Honee Daniels, 37; Santonio “San” Coleman, 48; Quanesha Shantel, 26; and

WHEREAS, We recognize this list is very likely an undercount, and we honor and remember all trans and gender-expansive people who have been killed, assaulted, and harassed for living authentic lives; and

WHEREAS, Across the country, trans and gender-expansive people are under increasing legislative and governmental attack. 2023 saw some of the highest levels of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in our nation’s history, and this trend continued into 2024, where over 500 additional anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced, and over 40 passed into law across 14 states; and

WHEREAS, The 2024 election saw the U.S. Republican party spending over $82 million on anti-trans political ads that furthered transphobic messaging while attacking pro-equality candidates for their support of transgender people; and

WHEREAS, These legislative and rhetorical attacks directly translate to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, including against Philadelphians. The past year had the highest number of anti-LGB and anti-trans and gender-expansive hate crimes reported by the FBI to date, accounting for almost one in four hate crimes recorded; and

WHEREAS,

The Trevor Project, a non-profit focusing on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ people, has experienced more than a 700% increase in calls after the 2024 election; and

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HEREAS, The discrimination faced by trans and gender-expansive Philadelphians compounds for transgender and gender-expansive people who hold multiple marginalized identities. Transgender women and transgender people of color are at elevated risk of fatal violence, and the risk is compounded for Black transgender women, who comprise the vast majority of victims of fatal violence against trans and gender-expansive people; and

WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, trans and gender-expansive people have already felt the impact of increased anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and laws, with many reports of increased assaults and attacks in our City; and

WHEREAS, Transgender and gender-expansive people are resilient and have continued to live authentically through discrimination and violence with bravery, strength, joy, and power that demonstrate the best in human nature; and

WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, we are steadfast in affirming our commitment to uphold our municipal laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in housing, employment, and public accommodations, and our intention to vigorously uphold and expand the protections for our transgender and gender-expansive neighbors that City Council has passed into law in the past several years; and

WHEREAS, Trans and gender-expansive Philadelphians go to extraordinary lengths to live authentically and collectively, we commit to honoring their truth and bravery with action; and

RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Declares November 13th through Nov 19th, 2024 as Transgender Awareness Week and November 20th as Transgender Day of Remembrance in the City of Philadelphia.

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