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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNITION OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY
WHEREAS, the International Transgender Day of Visibility is recognized every year on March 31st to celebrate the joy and resilience of trans and non-binary people everywhere by elevating voices and experiences from these communities; and
WHEREAS, these celebrations, acknowledgements, and remembrances are vital affirmations of the lives of transgender people in our communities as they continue to face extreme institutional discrimination and violence on the basis of their gender identities; and
WHEREAS, according to Trans Legislation Tracker, since 2021 there have been over 140 bills passed nationally that target and discriminate against transgender people, in particular transgender youth; and
WHEREAS, according to Trans Legislation Tracker, there have already been 522 bills being considered nationwide that seek to restrict healthcare access and freedom of expression to transgender and nonbinary individuals,
WHEREAS, according to Trans Legislation Tracker, there have been seven anti-trans state bills introduced in Illinois for 2024; and
WHEREAS, these bills are introduced and passed with the express purpose of targeting and preventing access to healthcare, participation in sports, and the simple right to freely exist; and
WHEREAS, there are ongoing practices, including conversion therapy, that have been harmful to the whole LGBTQ+ community including transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming individuals; and
WHEREAS, conversion therapy leads to critical health risks including anxiety, depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide; and
WHEREAS, according to The Washington Post, school hate crimes have quadrupled in states with anti-LGBTQ+ laws on the books, which has coincided with a sharp uptick in callers to LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines following the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation across states; and
WHEREAS, these bills that target the LGBTQ+ community and ban diversity and inclusion in education only work to affirm bullying, discrimination, and hate with devastating real-life consequences including the recent passing of Nex Benedict, an Indigenous non-binary 16-year-old student living in Owasso, Oklahoma; and
WHEREAS, today our transgender and nonbinary communities are experiencing significant political attacks by extremists legislating hate in the states and in Congress, while also facing an ongoing epidemic of fatal violence, especially against Black and Brown trans women; and
WHEREAS, International Transgender Day of Visibility aims to raise awareness about critical issues facing the community and to celebrate the richness and diversity that exists within the transgender community; and
WHEREAS, we celebrate the great work of trans-led organizations and individuals who have advanced visibility and the well-being of the transgender community; and
WHEREAS, it remains important to celebrate and uplift the transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people who have continued to serve their communities despite the continuous attacks they face, including Admiral Rachel L. Levine - the first trans presidential appointment as HHS Assistant Secretary, Virginia State Senator Danica Roem - the first openly transgender person to be elected and serve in a state legislature in U.S. history, Delaware State Senator Sara McBride - the first openly transgender state senator in the country, Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins - the first Black openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States, Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis - the first black trans woman to be appointed to the MWRD, and Cook County Judge Jill Rose Quinn - the first openly transgender circuit court judge in the State of Illinois and the first openly transgender elected official in the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, we commit to the work of listening to transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people as we continue to work toward enacting equitable policies to uplift marginalized citizens and eliminating violence toward them; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of Cook County that the Board does hereby reaffirm its commitment to the transgender and non-binary community and does hereby recognize March 31, 2024, to be International Transgender Day of Visibility; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that suitable copies be given to local organizations serving the transgender community.
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