March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility

March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility.

Mayor Lucy Vinis: Whereas on March 31, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a presidential declaration proclaiming March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility in the United States;

[00:00:17] And whereas March 31 is a day to honor and celebrate the achievements and resiliency of transgender and gender-diverse people and acknowledge their determination to live openly and authentically;

[00:00:31] And whereas transgender people still face systemic barriers to freedom and equality, including high rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination in employment, housing, health care and public accommodations;

[00:00:45] And whereas the crisis of violence against transgender women—especially transgender women of color—is a stain on our nation’s conscience;

[00:00:56] And whereas the City Council of Eugene has a vision of a community that is welcoming and safe for everyone (Resolution 5174, 2016), including transgender and gender-diverse people;

[00:01:11] And whereas the city of Eugene has the highest rank of the municipal equality index, which measures how supportive an organization is of its transgender employees;

[00:01:24] And whereas although we have updated our policies, we still need to improve our practices in every department and team so every transgender person can experience a sense of belonging in our workspaces and in the community;

[00:01:38] And whereas the city of Eugene has adopted policies to prevent discrimination against the transgender community;

[00:01:46] And whereas Eugene Police prioritizes investigating bias crimes which includes those committed against transgender individuals;

[00:01:55] And whereas we are fortunate to have TransPonder, a local transgender-founded and -led nonprofit in our city, and we benefit from the positive impact of the work they provide for our community;

[00:02:10] And whereas whether or not one is a transgender person, family member, or ally, TransPonder offers support, education, and connection to available resources;

[00:02:22] And whereas we recognize the bravery of all city of Eugene employees and community members who decide to live their lives without hiding their most authentic self;

[00:02:33] And whereas March 31 is an opportunity to acknowledge all the work and progress made while still recognizing there is much work to be done before transgender people will have the same access, rights, and safety others enjoy;

[00:02:50] Now, therefore, I, Lucy Vinis, mayor of the city of Eugene, Oregon, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, to be Transgender Day of Visibility in Eugene, Oregon, and all people to work together in the coming year to achieve greater progress in respecting, protecting, and welcoming transgender people in our community.

Mayor Lucy Vinis proclaims today Transgender Day of Visibility. To learn more, contact TransPonder.