Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has said
she is proud of the contributions of transgender people working at
the U.S. Department of Labor.
Solis on Friday issued a
statement commemorating the 13th annual Transgender
Day of Remembrance, which takes place on Sunday.
“What began as an online project in
1999 to memorialize the murder of a transgender person will this year
include hundreds of vigils and events throughout the country and
around the world. I hope that this year’s commemoration will serve
as an opportunity to shine a brighter light on both progress made and
the challenges ahead.”
“I am proud to say that the
Department of Labor this year joined other executive branch agencies
in updating its policy on equal employment opportunity and its policy
on harassing conduct in the workplace to specifically prohibit
discrimination on the basis of gender identity. And I am also proud
that transgender individuals serve openly at the U.S. Department of
Labor.”
“On this day of remembrance, as we
pause to reflect on the lives that have been lost, we renew our
commitment to an America that celebrates and values every person.”
Under Solis' tenure, the Department of
Labor added gender identity to its non-discrimination policy. And
Solis appeared in an It Gets Better video in April. (The video is
embedded in the right panel of this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)