Biden Marks Transgender Day of Visibility
Rachel Crandall-Crocker started the holiday in 2009
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
President Joe Biden has
issued the fi rst presidential
proclamation honoring
Transgender Day
of Visibility, a worldwide holiday
commemorating the achievements
of trans people across the globe.
Starting in 2009, Rachel Crandall
Crocker, a transgender woman
from Michigan, created Transgender
Day of Visibility for transgender,
gender non-conforming, and
non-binary people to celebrate
their accomplishments — which
often go unrecognized. The day is
also key in raising awareness of
the growing violence and discrimination
facing the community.
Now the president is recognizing
March 31 as a day to celebrate
trans folks.
“Their trailblazing work has
given countless transgender individuals
President Joe Biden has delivered the fi rst presidential proclamation honoring Trans Day of Visibility.
the bravery to live openly
and authentically,” Biden wrote.
“This hard-fought progress is also
shaping an increasingly accepting
REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST/FILE PHOTO
world in which peers at school,
teammates and coaches on the
playing fi eld, colleagues at work,
and allies in every corner of society
TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY
are standing in support and solidarity
with the transgender community.”
While the president highlighted
the increased visibility of trans
people, he also denounced the
scrutiny and violence that has followed.
“In spite of our progress in advancing
civil rights for LGBTQ+
Americans, too many transgender
people — adults and youth alike —
still face systemic barriers to freedom
and equality,” he wrote. “The
crisis of violence against transgender
women, especially transgender
women of color, is a stain on our
nation’s conscience.”
This year alone, there are
at least a dozen known violent
deaths involving transgender
people in the US. This comes after
researchers marked last year
as the deadliest on record against
the community.
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