Text of DC CER 250143 (2023)

1 1 Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2 3 4 5 Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 6 7 8 9 Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 10 11 12 13 Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 14 15 16 17 Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Zachary Parker 18 19 20 A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 21 22 __________ 23 24 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 25 26 ____________________ 27 28 To recognize the Transgender Day of Remembrance and to celebrate the resilience of transgender 29 individuals and communities, and to declare Monday, November 20, 2023, as Transgender 30 Day of Remembrance in the District of Columbia. 31 32 WHEREAS, the government of the District of Columbia has affirmatively and officially 33 recognized the right of transgender people to live authentically and openly without the fear of 34 discrimination or violence, as exemplified by the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of 35 gender identity or expression in 2005; 36 WHEREAS, the District nevertheless has a particularly alarming history of violence 37 against transgender individuals including the murders of Zoe Spears, Ashanti Carmon, Deeniquia 38 2 Dodds, Deoni Jones, Lashai Mclean, Tyli’a Mack, Elexius Woodland, Bella Evangelista, Emonie 39 Spaulding, Stephanie Thomas, Ukea Davis, Taya Ashton, and too many others; 40 WHEREAS, bias, violence, and systemic oppression against transgender people remain 41 unacceptably prevalent, including in the District of Columbia; 42 WHEREAS, incarceration, homelessness, poverty, and addiction have a disproportionate 43 impact on transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, and persistently result 44 in loss of lives; 45 WHEREAS, violence against transgender people is fostered by the unprecedented wave of 46 laws across the country that discriminate against, stigmatize, and criminalize transgender people, 47 accompanied by ever-increasing hateful rhetoric against the transgender community; 48 WHEREAS, transgender people and their allies are pushing back against such 49 discriminatory laws, transphobic rhetoric, and hate violence; 50 WHEREAS, transgender people have the same human rights as all people to live free from 51 violence and discrimination, pursuing a life of joy, dignity, and aspirations for the future with 52 respect and love as any other person; 53 WHEREAS, transgender people in the District have long exhibited remarkable resilience 54 and bravery, including the organized response to the 1997 death of Tyra Hunter, a Black 55 transgender woman whom District employees failed to provide the life-saving treatment she 56 needed after determining she was transgender; 57 WHEREAS, since the 2022 Transgender Day of Remembrance, transgender people in the 58 District, and surrounding area, have continued to be murdered, including A’Nee Roberson, Skylar 59 Harrison Reeves, and Jasmine “Star” Parker, while misgendering by media and police may have 60 obscured additional instances of violence against transgender people in the region; and 61 3 WHEREAS, the transgender community and allies in the District have commemorated 62 Transgender Day of Remembrance since 2001 and communities and organizations here and around 63 the world will observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2023. 64 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 65 resolution may be cited as the “Transgender Day of Remembrance Recognition Resolution of 66 2023”. 67 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia declares November 20, 2023, as the 68 Transgender Day of Remembrance in the District of Columbia. 69 Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 70 the District of Columbia Register. 71

ENROLLED ORIGINAL 1 A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 25-143 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA November 7, 2023 To recognize the Transgender Day of Remembrance and to celebrate the resilience of transgender individuals and communities, and to declare Monday, November 20, 2023, as Transgender Day of Remembrance in the District of Columbia. WHEREAS, the government of the District of Columbia has affirmatively and officially recognized the right of transgender people to live authentically and openly without the fear of discrimination or violence, as exemplified by the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in 2005; WHEREAS, the District nevertheless has a particularly alarming history of violence against transgender individuals including the murders of Zoe Spears, Ashanti Carmon, Deeniquia Dodds, Deoni Jones, Lashai Mclean, Tyli’a Mack, Elexius Woodland, Bella Evangelista, Emonie Spaulding, Stephanie Thomas, Ukea Davis, Taya Ashton, and too many others; WHEREAS, bias, violence, and systemic oppression against transgender people remain unacceptably prevalent, including in the District of Columbia; WHEREAS, incarceration, homelessness, poverty, and addiction have a disproportionate impact on transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color, and persistently result in loss of lives; WHEREAS, violence against transgender people is fostered by the unprecedented wave of laws across the country that discriminate against, stigmatize, and criminalize transgender people, accompanied by ever-increasing hateful rhetoric against the transgender community; WHEREAS, transgender people and their allies are pushing back against such discriminatory laws, transphobic rhetoric, and hate violence; WHEREAS, transgender people have the same human rights as all people to live free from violence and discrimination, pursuing a life of joy, dignity, and aspirations for the future with respect and love as any other person; ENROLLED ORIGINAL 2 WHEREAS, transgender people in the District have long exhibited remarkable resilience and bravery, including the organized response to the 1997 death of Tyra Hunter, a Black transgender woman whom District employees failed to provide the life-saving treatment she needed after determining she was transgender; WHEREAS, since the 2022 Transgender Day of Remembrance, transgender people in the District, and surrounding area, have continued to be murdered, including A’Nee Roberson, Skylar Harrison Reeves, and Jasmine “Star” Parker, while misgendering by media and police may have obscured additional instances of violence against transgender people in the region; and WHEREAS, the transgender community and allies in the District have commemorated Transgender Day of Remembrance since 2001 and communities and organizations here and around the world will observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2023. RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Transgender Day of Remembrance Recognition Resolution of 2023”. Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia declares November 20, 2023, as the Transgender Day of Remembrance in the District of Columbia. Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.