[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 197 (Thursday, November 19, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
(Ms. SCANLON asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Transgender
Day of Remembrance and honor the memories of far too many transgender
or gender-nonconforming people, at least 36 of whom were lost this year
to fatal violence, the majority of whom were Black and Latinx
transgender women.
I want to take a moment to lift up the names and stories of a few of
the Black transgender women who faced violence this year in the city of
Philadelphia to honor their memory, because when we fail to acknowledge
this issue, we cannot begin to address it.
Dominique ``Rem'mie'' Fells was murdered on July 9. A friend
described her as a beautiful and unique soul. We are heartened by the
fact that an arrest in her murder has finally occurred.
Tracy ``Mia'' Green was murdered on September 28. Her friends and
family shared how ``her smile was so perfect and so contagious'' and
how she always made people laugh.
Kendall Stephens was brutally attacked in her own home on August 24.
As she was beaten, her attackers yelled transphobic slurs and said they
would ``come back to finish the job.'' Thankfully, Kendall survived the
assault and dedicates her work to healing the transgender community in
Philadelphia.
This violence is motivated by anti-transgender bigotry, and the
intersections of employment, housing, and other forms of discrimination
put too many transgender people, particularly transgender women of
color, at risk of violence.
This Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor those lost, honor their
survivors. As an ally, I rededicate myself to working for change to
protect this community from discrimination and violence.
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