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Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
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Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 6
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Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 10
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Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 14
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Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Zachary Parker 18
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 21
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 25
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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
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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
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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
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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