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WHEREAS, across the United States and the world, transgender people remain marginalized through acts of discrimination, injustice, and violence, leading to alarming rates of murder and suicide; and,
WHEREAS, this year alone, there have been 25 violent murders of transgender people nationwide, which is the most ever recorded, and the number of victims is feared to be larger due to unreported incidents and misidentified victims; and,
WHEREAS, on November 20, 1999, transgender woman Gwendolyn Ann Smith founded the Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize and celebrate the life of Rita Hester, a transgender woman whose murder remains unsolved to this day; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender Day of Remembrance serves as an occasion to honor lives lost in the transgender community and raise awareness around transphobia, suicide in the transgender community, and the aggression, discrimination, and violence experienced by transgender people; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender Day of Remembrance is a channel for transgender people of color, who are the predominant victims of violence within the transgender community, to express the pain and suffering that they experience daily; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender Day of Remembrance is a time to value and enrich the lives of transgender people who are still with us and also serves as a reminder to develop policies and support programs that protect the lives of all transgender people; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh protects its residents against forms of discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, and so-called conversion "therapy," which can include efforts to alter one's gender identity or expression, is illegal within our borders; and,
WHEREAS, it is critical that the City advocate for policy changes to protect and benefit transgender neighbors at the county, state, and federal levels; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby remember the lives lo...
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