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Writer's pictureNathan Sharp

Citrus Equality Caucus Honors International Transgender Day of Visibility

Lecanto, Florida Release: March 25, 2021. For release on March 31, 2021

Citrus Equality Caucus honors International Transgender Day of Visibility and strives to help educate the residents of Citrus County. On this day we celebrate the achievements of transgender people and elevate the unique challenges they face.

Dr. Rachael Levine made history this month by being the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate. On nearly party line votes she was confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. She previously served as the Surgeon General of Pennsylvania and is a professor at Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Levine holds degrees from Harvard College and the Tulane University School of Medicine.

The 2020 election was a banner year for transgender candidates being elected to office. Sarah McBride won election to the Delaware State Senate, making her the highest ranking elected transgenedered official in the country. Taylor Small became the first openly transgender person to be elected to the Vermont legislature. Kansas and Colorado elected transgender candidates for the first time in history.

Transphobic views and misinformation about what it means to be transgender is the driving force for two of the many challenges facing the transgender community.

There continues to be an epidemic of violence against the transgender community.. At least 11 transgender people have been murdered in 2021, a disproportionate number of which have been Latinx or Black. Gun violence is the primary cause of death in each of these cases. Supporting bills such as the Equality Act and reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act are essential in this fight against injustice.

Florida is among several states attempting to push through legislation to ban trans women and girls from participating in female sports. A current, non-invasive system already exists for transgender women and girls to participate in female sports, and has been in place for a decade. The new version of the process introduces invasive testosterone level testing and is at odds with the current rules used by the NCAA.

“This year an unprecedented number of bills attacking the Trans Community have been filed in legislatures across the country” said Nathan Sharp, President of the Citrus Equality Caucus. “Rather than understanding the science of why someone may be transgender, Republicans push forth legislation that shows a lack of understanding of what it means to be transgender and the very real challenges this community faces”

Transgender defined: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Everyone—transgender or not—has a gender identity. Most people never think about what their gender identity is because it matches their sex at birth

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About Citrus Equality Caucus

The Democratic Equality Caucus of Citrus County represents the LGBTQ+ community to the Democratic Party, encourages voter registration, promotes an active interest in politics, and supports Democratic candidates who are committed to the principle that all persons deserve equal rights regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

We value diversity and welcome anyone who shares our vision.

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