In honoring the Transgender Day of
Remembrance, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized President Donald
Trump's “hateful” agenda.
Wednesday's annual remembrance
memorializes the transgender victims of violence.
“On Transgender Day of Remembrance,
we mourn for all the brave transgender individuals who have suffered
violence, bullying and discrimination or have been murdered for
living as their true selves," Pelosi said in a statement. "These
courageous individuals are our friends and loved ones, neighbors and
colleagues and they deserve our admiration, respect and protection."
"Sadly, since Day One, the Trump
administration has inflicted a shocking, hateful anti-LGBTQ agenda on
America that undermines our founding promise of equality,"
Pelosi continued. "Under the leadership of Chairman Joe Kennedy
and the Transgender Equality Task Force, the Democratic House is
standing strong against these heartbreaking attacks, particularly
those waged against transgender women of color, who suffer a
disproportionately high rate of homelessness, drug addiction, HIV,
sexual assault and murder."
Massachusetts Representative Joe
Kennedy, a Democrat, on Wednesday introduced a House resolution
recognizing the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Speaking at a news conference, Kennedy
also criticized the president's policies.
“We must be explicit about who we
recognize, and who we mourn,” he
said. “We mourn an administration that has made a disgusting
habit to demean and devalue trans Americans from the classroom to the
boardroom, from the battlefield to the hospital to those who chose
violence motivated by hatred, bigotry, and ignorance.”
Kennedy added that 30 transgender
people have been murdered in the United States so far this year.
In her statement, Pelosi said that
Democrats stand by the transgender community.
"This Transgender Day of
Remembrance, Democrats honor the transgender individuals we have
lost, and continue to fight to ensure that every transgender American
can live free from fear and violence," Pelosi said. "Today
and on all days, we reaffirm our bedrock value that everyone is
entitled to the right to life, liberty and happiness, regardless of
who they are or whom they love."