In a significant gesture of recognition and solidarity, Multnomah County marked Wednesday, Nov. 20, as Transgender Day of Remembrance this year. Commissioners Jesse Beason and Sharon Meieran co-sponsored the proclamation, which honors transgender individuals who have lost their lives to anti-trans violence, according to Multnomah County News.
During the board meeting, Commissioner Beason reflected on the emotional and psychological impacts of violence, noting that "We know that lives do not need to be lost for violence to be inflicted, verbally or mentally, so it’s also a day to remember that." In response to requests from Multnomah County’s Prism and QTPOC Employee Resource Groups, the board members observed a moment of silence, followed by a vote on the proclamation, rather than commenting after speakers' testimonials.
The day’s session included poignant testimonials from a panel of three speakers. Crisanto Barajas from Gabriela Portland spoke about the intersection of violence against transgender people and violence against women, as reported by Multnomah County News. Barajas highlighted the case of a Filipina transgender woman killed by a U.S. Marine who used the "transpanic" defense and was pardoned after serving less than half his sentence by then-President Duterte.
Niki, from the Kalikasan Solidarity Organization, emphasized the need for a global perspective on the systemic injustices faced by transgender people. "We recognize in the struggle for trans, non-binary, intersex, gender queer, and gender diverse liberation, we must have an international analysis that acknowledges the gender diverse people within all struggles for liberation," Niki stated. This call to action acknowledged the global propagation of threats and violence against the LGBTQIA2S+ community, including in sanctuary cities like Portland.
JB/Julia Brown, a mental health consultant and co-chair of the Prism Employee Resource Group, shared insights into workplace experiences as a trans person at Multnomah County. While citing a supportive work environment personally, Brown acknowledged that "Many come to the group seeking support for chronic transphobia, which can come in the form of others knowingly and consistently misgendering and dead naming trans employees." Brown called for County leaders to work with employee groups to address transphobia within the county workforce.
The session ended with the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approving the proclamation after observing the requested moment of silence. The full testimonies from this significant day are available for public viewing, as part of the county's ongoing commitment to addressing and combating anti-trans violence.
