Transgender Day of Visibility
On November 28, 1998, Rita Hester, a Black trans woman, was brutally murdered in her apartment in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Transgender women, tired of brutal attacks against their community and being misgendered by the press, marched through her neighborhood, giving birth to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).
In 2009, Rachel Crandall-Crocker, frustrated at feeling depressed up to a week after the annual TDORs—essentially a ‘community funeral’—wanted trans people to have some happiness in their lives and made Facebook posts urging them to organize events locally to celebrate the trans community and lives. “I wanted a day that we can celebrate the living, and I wanted a day that all over the world we could be all together.”
Friday, March 31st, is the International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) and in proclaiming it, President Biden stated, “Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates the joy, strength, and absolute courage of some of the bravest people I know — people who have too often had to put their jobs, relationships, and lives on the line just to be their true selves. Today, we show millions of transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect. Their courage has given countless others strength, but no one should have to be brave just to be themselves. Every American deserves that freedom.
"Transgender Americans shape our Nation’s soul — proudly serving in the military, curing deadly diseases, holding elected office, running thriving businesses, fighting for justice, raising families, and much more. As kids, they deserve what every child deserves: the chance to learn in safe and supportive schools, to develop meaningful friendships, and to live openly and honestly. As adults, they deserve the same rights enjoyed by every American, including equal access to health care, housing, and jobs and the chance to age with grace as senior citizens. But today, too many transgender Americans are still denied those rights and freedoms. A wave of discriminatory State laws is targeting transgender youth, terrifying families and hurting kids who are not hurting anyone. An epidemic of violence against transgender women and girls, in particular women and girls of color, has taken lives far too soon. Last year’s Club Q shooting in Colorado was another painful example of this kind of violence — a stain on the conscience of our Nation.”
Today, I focus on a weak spot within our Democratic Party, where we could and should do much better: elected officers of state and territorial Democratic parties, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and automatic or pledged delegates to the quadrennial Democratic National Conventions. I will not remotely focus on the Republican Party at any and all levels, as it is the main source of the misery, discrimination, and anti-trans legislation seemingly brought forth on a daily basis that plague transgender, and nonbinary or gender nonconforming, siblings throughout our nation and its territories, along with its intolerant fundamentalist allies.
Firstly, to the best of my knowledge, there have been only two trans Democrats elected as vice chairs of the 57 state or territorial parties: Brianna Westbrook (AZ) was elected a 5th vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party in January of 2019 and I was elected a co-equal vice chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO) in March of that year. Prior to the March 26, 2023 DPO reorganization elections, there had never been a nonbinary state or territorial Democratic party vice chair or chair; however, that changed when Kim Schmith was elected one of two co-equal vice chairs of the DPO. Prior to that, there had never been a trans or nonbinary member of the Association of State Democratic Chairs, which I was ineligible for due to being of the same gender category as the DPO Chair.
Secondly, in the history of the DNC, which will be 175 years old on May 26, there have been only five trans members—two state-elected and three appointed at-large by the DNC chair—and two nonbinary members. Both of the state-elected DNC members have been from the DPO and the other three were at-large appointments by the DNC Chair. As regards the nonbinary DNC members, Schmith was state-elected and the other was an elected vice chair of the Young Democrats of America.
Thirdly, since 2012 and the 2016 and 2020 Democratic National Conventions, there have been approximately 1,700 total LGBTQ+ pledged and automatic delegates, only 71 of whom have been trans or nonbinary: 0.042 percent. According to Gallup, 8.8 percent of the LGBTQ+ population identifies as trans, which proportionately would indicate that its representation number over that time should have been around 150, which does not factor in the 58 percent of gender nonconforming people not identifying as trans. In 2020, there were 635 LGBTQ+ delegates, only 30 (0.047) of whom were trans or nonbinary. There should have been about 55 if we were equitably represented.
If trans and nonbinary Democrats, especially those of color, are to become full partners and equals at all levels of our party and achieve true visibility and representation within it, we need to support each other and become more active in our municipal, county, and state Democratic parties and their central committees. We need to participate in their standing and ad hoc committees and run for party offices. And, we need to at least double our number at the 2024 National Convention and make our voices heard.
So, on this TDOV and in the days, weeks, and months to come, let us make a pledge and a promise to act to ensure our visibility by actively pushing our party to do better by us—much better. At February’s Winter DNC meeting in Philadelphia, DNC LGBTQ Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes (DC) looked forward to when there will be a transgender state or territorial party chair.
At the 2022 Winter DNC meeting in March, I became the first trans—and I believe the first woman--DNC member to run for chair of that caucus, and although I lost, I have no regrets. In fact, I am likely to not only run again in 2026, but I might also try to become the first trans state party chair before then. But first, I challenge trans and nonbinary Democrats to join me at the next year’s National Convention and make our voices heard and presence known.
That is visibility of the highest order!
Michelle Risher
DNC Member
On behalf of the DPO Stonewall Caucus
