Dear Friend,

Each year, on November 20th, the Green Party of the United States joins in honoring and recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). TDOR is a worldwide event with the goal to raise awareness about discrimination and violence directed against transgender, intersex, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people.

Hate crimes and murders of our LGBTQIA+ community members largely go unreported by the mainstream media. TDOR helps raise public awareness of the very real violence transgender, intersex, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people face every day. It is a day of public mourning to honor the lives of these people who might otherwise be forgotten. TDOR reminds cisgender people that transgender people are their children, parents, friends and lovers, and gives allies a chance to step forward and stand in vigil.

The last two years have been a particularly dark time for transgender, non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people. In 2023, 550 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills introduced into state houses across the country, more than 85 of which were passed into law. This trend continued into 2024, where over 500 additional anti-LGBTQIA+ bills were introduced, and over 40 passed into law across 14 states.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual hate crime data for 2023, released just last month showed dramatic rises in anti-LGBTQIA+ violence, including an additional 13% increase over the previous year's high in anti-transgender violence. Of the five highest months for anti-transgender hate crimes, all five are in the last 3 years, with three occurring just last year.

A collage of some of the transgender lives lost around the world in 2024 (TDOR/REMEMBERING OUR DEAD)

While the parties of War and Wall Street facilitate the erosion of our fundamental human rights, the Green Party strongly maintains that we cannot compromise on issues of life or death for LGBTQIA+ communities. We believe that addressing the deep issues facing LGBTQIA+ communities today require deep solutions. We stand for continuing the struggle for true equality in every way including:

• A comprehensive National Health Plan including full access to mental, dental, hearing and vision services.
• A healthcare system that will not discriminate coverage based upon sexuality, gender, ethnicity, nationality or income.
• A guaranteed living wage and an end to homelessness, which disproportionately affects LGBTQIA+ youth.
• Support for LGBTQIA+ friendly K-12 educational materials and free education at all levels through college.
• Ending senseless mass incarceration and the War on Drugs, which also disproportionately targets queer youth — in particular LGBTIA+ youth of color.

The Green Party of the United States has been at the forefront of the Queer Liberation Movement since the party's founding. Our very first national platform in 2000 called for LGBTQIA+ equality. In 2004, when many prominent Democrats were still vocally against same-sex marriage, Jason West, then Green Party Mayor of New Paltz, New York, was arrested after performing dozens of same-sex marriages. Greens continue to stand unwaveringly for equal legal protections, and we continue to highlight the long-overdue struggle to add sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, to the existing Civil Rights Act.

While the duopoly rubber stamps bills restricting LGBTQIA+ people's access to healthcare, legal services, sports, voting, and more, the Green Party of the United States keeps up the fight for our rights. No other national political party matches the Green Party's commitment to the liberation of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex. 🌈 We rely on the support of people like you to continue that fight every day.

In Solidarity,
Daniel Bumbarger
National Lavender Caucus Co-Chair

P.S. The National Lavender Green Caucus (NLGC) represents the LGBTQIA+ members of the Green Party. If you are eligible, please consider joining the NLGC and help our party grow.