Mark November 20th as Transgendered Day of Remembrance

December 3, 2013 sexyknees

First, I wish you a happy belated Thanksgiving and wonderful holiday season!!! I also wish to apologize for my most recent disappearance. As you know my mentally ill significant other was involuntarily committed and was released in early October. I am happy to report that she is almost back to normal – its just a matter of her getting to know herself again as the past 10 years have been a blur. I have spent most of my time helping her readjust to home life but now that she is well I am finally able to get back into my routine. Yay!

Now, to my topic of discussion. I was perusing the White House website and was happy to find the following article announcing November 20th as Transgendered Day of Remembrance. This day is intended to provide the public an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives to violence and injustice because of their gender identity or gender expression. I was both surprised and happy to know that president Obama has taken an interest in the plight of the LGBT community!

As you may know, President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act four years ago, which greatly expanded the federal government’s ability to prosecute hate crimes. The law marked the first time that the words, “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” appeared in the U.S. Code, and enables the Justice Department to prosecute in certain circumstances hate crimes committed because of a person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

Additionally, earlier this year President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that included critical protections for transgender people and for the broader LGBT community. The legislation removed barriers faced by LGBT victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, whose needs are often overlooked by law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victim service providers. It also included three provisions that would help LGBT victims of domestic violence and sexual assault access VAWA-funded services:

First, the law added a LGBT-focused purpose area to the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program, the largest VAWA program and the one that supports law enforcement, prosecution, court and victim service activities in every State.
Second, the law amended the Act’s definition of “underserved population” to recognize that LGBT victims face barriers to service.
Third, the law protects LGBT victims from discrimination by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in VAWA-funded programs or activities.

This commitment to equality for all members of the LGBT community extends internationally, where the Obama Administration continues to promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons. For example, at the United Nations the United States is standing up for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and fighting to ensure that their voices are heard and protected. I, for one, deeply appreciate this initiative.

So, although a few weeks late, I ask you to join me in celebrating Transgendered Remembrance Day by taking action to ensure that the LGBT community world-wide receives the protection and respect it needs and deserves. I also wish to encourage that you do whatever you can to help protect both women and children whose needs are just as imperative. Finally, please write the White House and express thanks for these important actions. Thank you again for being my fans!

I didn’t write much of the above, by the way. I simply cut and pasted from the White House site – they said it better. I hope you don’t mind! For those who wish to read more, here is the link to the White House page: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/11/20/marking-transgender-day-remembrance-0