I was standing in a backyard in Natick, Massachusetts, when one of the gathered neighbors asked a question. Her voice was quiet, trembling a little.
"I have a transgender grandson. And I am terrified for his future."
Not long ago, I met a trans college student who told me that when she drove home to visit her parents, she knew that there were states in this country were she could be arrested--or worse--just for using the "wrong" bathroom. So she wouldn't eat or drink the day leading up to the drive, to avoid needing a restroom stop.
90 percent of trans people report facing discrimination on the job. Over half say they have been harassed in a public space.
And so far this year, 22 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been murdered in the United States. 91% were women of color. 81% were under age 30.
This is a national epidemic. And we must pay attention.
On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, we commemorate transgender people, gender nonconforming people, and those perceived to be transgender who have been murdered because of hatred for who they are.
In Congress, I serve as the chair of the Transgender Equality Task Force. More than once, I've been asked, "Why do you care about this issue so much?"
The answer is simple. Because in America we made a promise that all of us are created equal. We broke that promise the first day of our Republic. We've broken it over and over and over again, in each new era. So it is the fight of every generation to do better, to drive forward to the day when every single person is treated with the humanity and dignity they deserve.
As the great poet Emma Lazarus wrote: Until all of us are free, none of us are free.
Head over to Facebook to learn more about the Transgender Day of Remembrance and join the conversation with other folks in our movement.
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Joe
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Paid for by Kennedy for Massachusetts.
