releases: http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362413
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362413 | Hastings Observes 15th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance | 2013-11-20 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Democrat | House | FL | Alcee Hastings | H000324 | alceehastings.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following remarks in observance of the 15th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which were entered into the Congressional Record: “M. Speaker, I rise today in observance of the 15th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. “Fifteen years ago, the tragic murder of transgender musician Rita Hester in Boston offered our nation a glimpse into the daily struggle and injustice suffered by transgender Americans. In honor of her memory, transgender activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith founded the first Transgender Day of Remembrance in 1998 as an occasion to remember all those who have been lost due to violence and prejudice against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Despite significant advances in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality in recent years, many people do not realize or recognize that transphobia exists, and transgender individuals continue to face discrimination in every major aspect of their day-to-day lives. “Tragically, members of the transgender community are too often the victims of hate-motivated violence. Each year around the world, hundreds of transgender individuals of all ages – particularly transgender women of color –are brutally attacked, injured, or murdered simply because of who they are, and the list of names to memorialize grows ever longer. In 2013 alone, this figure topped 238 lives lost, but we know that the real number of deaths is much higher as many cases go unreported and uninvestigated. “All people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, as well as live free from fear of discrimination and harm. For transgender individuals, the lack of access to culturally competent health care, disproportionate rates of poverty and homelessness, resorting to survival sex or attempting suicide, maltreatment by law enforcement, and employment discrimination remain serious challenges to their well-being. As a nation, we must do more to address these issues, root out stigma and racism, and foster greater inclusion in our society. “At the federal level, one of the immediate steps that we can take to protect the rights of transgender individuals is to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA), a bi-partisan measure that strengthens basic employment protections for all Americans and, in my opinion, is long overdue. On November 7, 2013, the Senate sent a clear message that employer discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity should be outlawed when it passed ENDA by a vote of 64-32. I urge Speaker Boehner to reconsider his position and allow the House to vote on passage of a fully inclusive ENDA as soon as possible. “M. Speaker, transgender rights are human rights. As we observe the 15th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, let us not only remember the lives of all those whom we have lost to transphobic hate, but honor their memory and sacrifice by recommitting ourselves to making a difference in the lives of LGBT individuals and other vulnerable communities as a whole. I will continue working tirelessly with my colleagues in Congress, the Obama administration, and civil rights advocates to ensure that our laws recognize LGBT persons and provide them with equal opportunities to succeed.” Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |