A Day of Transgender Visibility Isn’t Enough
We need far more than just visibility for one day each year.
By Jordan Valerie Allen
Today, March 31, is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. Today, we celebrate the transgender community and advocate for the change we so desperately need.
But a single day of visibility alone has no true meaning. Because with increased visibility, we have also experienced increased vulnerability, and for every other day of the year, our vulnerability is ignored and erased. Even today, few politicians or candidates are speaking up about the importance of transgender equality and the epidemic of anti-transgender violence in our nation.
2017 was the most dangerous year for transgender Americans in recorded history. It is estimated that over 100 transgender Americans were murdered, with an average of two Black transgender women reported murdered per month.
But the problem is not limited to homicide. In every aspect of life, transgender Americans face unique and devastating barriers to the American dream. Discrimination in housing and healthcare lead to high levels of homelessness and sickness. Discrimination in education and public facilities contributes to a suicide rate of nearly 50%.
This is all enabled and even encouraged by establishment politicians. Due to the refusal of Congress to pass protections for transgender Americans, state legislatures and municipal governments have passed anti-transgender measures such as North Carolina’s HB2. While some self-proclaimed progressives in elected office have spoken out against transphobia and transmisogyny, they have not fought hard enough to create genuine change. How many incumbents can you name who have done so little as publish a Facebook post about the epidemic of violence against transgender Americans?
We need to elect representatives who will represent all Americans, regardless of gender identity. The transgender community needs candidates to make concrete promises and proposals that they can be held accountable to.
Brand New Congress is ready to make those promises and proposals. In Congress, our candidates will fight for the transgender community by passing the Equality Act, guaranteeing healthcare access by instituting trans-inclusive Medicare for All, mandating gender identity for all public employees, de-gendering documentation and federal language, banning conversion therapy, investing in homelessness prevention, and incorporating gender identity teaching into our public education system.
We cannot end the epidemic of anti-transgender violence unless Congress takes action to protect the transgender community. The stakes here are quite literally life and death. We cannot talk about visibility for just a single day. We must fight for liberation and equality each and every day.
Jordan Valerie is a cinephile, filmmaker, journalist, political activist, and proud queer woman of color dedicated to civil rights, civic engagement, diversity, and watching at least a movie a week. She currently serves as Chief Policy Strategist at Brand New Congress and Host of the Brand New Podcast. You can find her tweeting about politics and culture @jordanvalallen.
