John,

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Each year, people around the world mark this day by honoring the trans people who’ve lost their lives to violence in the previous year. In my community, we remember Tahiry Broom of Southfield and Karmin Wells of Detroit who were murdered simply for living authentically.

As trans people have fought for their rights and secured more widespread acceptance, a dangerous backlash has been growing. Political leaders are dehumanizing trans people and debating their very existence, leading to a rise in anti-trans hate crimes.

Trump and MAGA Republicans are targeting trans people, including by taking away trans people’s access to medically necessary gender-affirming care.

The time is now to speak up: Trans people have always been here, and trans people belong here. We must protect our trans neighbors’ rights and demand a world where all people can live safely as their true selves.

Will you stand up for our trans neighbors in this time of crisis? Please sign our petition to demand Congress pass federal protections for trans people.

Our trans neighbors urgently need more federal protections.

As part of the Equality Caucus in Congress, I’m fighting for and alongside LGBTQ+ people. But too many of my colleagues in Congress are willing to cede our power to fascists and discard the most vulnerable members of our communities.

We need massive public pressure to push Congress to defend trans people and pass policies such as:

• The Equality Act and the Justice For All Act, which would expand civil rights law to include anti-discrimination protections for people on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

• The Transgender Health Access Act, which would increase access to life-saving gender-affirming care and invest in training providers to deliver that care. More than half of U.S. states have enacted some kind of ban on evidence-based, medically necessary healthcare—endangering the lives and well-being of more than 40% of all young trans Americans.

• The Fit to Serve Act, which would reverse Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military and protect trans servicemembers from being disqualified or removed from the military simply because they’re transgender. Right now, trans members of the Air Force are suing the U.S. government for illegally revoking the retirement pensions they’re owed.

• The Pride in Mental Health Act to improve mental health care for LGBTQ+ youth. According to the Trevor Project, about 40% of trans young people seriously considered suicide in the past year and only half who wanted mental health care were able to access it. Adding to this emergency, Trump has shut down the national LGBTQ+ suicide hotline.

• The Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act, which will address rising youth homelessness by providing unhoused people with monthly direct cash assistance for two years. LGBTQ+ youth have a 120 percent higher likelihood of experiencing homelessness compared to others.

I’m proud to keep leading the Justice For All Act and the Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act, and co-sponsoring related bills. This kind of legislation has been needed for a long time.

But now these policy changes are especially urgent, with Trump trying to spread fear and designate trans people as terrorists—and the Supreme Court joining Trump’s administration in threatening people’s passports and basic rights.

Please add your name now to demand Congress pass policies to protect trans people from growing attacks.

Thank you for fighting for equity and liberation for all.

Here’s a photo from this year’s Pride when I celebrated my LGBTQ+ loved ones and neighbors (I’m on the right):

It's also been an honor to fundraise for trans-led groups and secure $1 million through legislation for the Ruth Ellis Center, which provides safe, affordable, identity-affirming housing for Black and brown LGBTQ+ youth in my district.

No matter your gender identity or sexual orientation, I’ll never stop fighting for you.

In solidarity,

Rashida

P.S. If you’re an ally who wants to learn more or do more to support the LGBTQ+ people in your life, these resources may be helpful:

Trans Lifeline’s guide for allies, and The Trevor Project’s guide to supporting transgender and nonbinary young people and resources on creating safer spaces in schools for LGBTQ+ young people.