At Friday’s Minneapolis City Council meeting on Friday, the council passed a resolution declaring November to be Transgender Awareness Month in Minneapolis. All 13 Minneapolis City Council members authored the resolution.

City Council Vice President Elizabeth Glidden introduced the resolution stating, “This is a continuation of our work to institutionalize our support of transgender community members and think about how we are changing our practices and policies at the city to be more supportive to all of those in our community and working at the City of Minneapolis.”

Minneapolis was the first city in the United States to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity back in 1975, a press release from the council announcing the resolution stated, adding, “Despite this, disparities still exist in virtually all areas including employment, healthcare, safety, housing and access to public spaces.”

Here’s the resolution approved by the council:

Approving the month of November 2016 to be recognized as Transgender Awareness Month in the City of Minneapolis.
WHEREAS, the City of Minneapolis is committed to creating a community in which transgender and gender-non conforming individuals thrive without fear of discrimination, persecution and violence;
and WHEREAS, according to a study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, 700,000 people in the Unites States identify as transgender or gender non-conforming;
and WHEREAS, the week of November 14 is Trans Awareness Week, bringing together individuals and organizations across the United States to raise the visibility, celebrate the accomplishments, and raise awareness around the issues faced by the transgender community;
and WHEREAS, November 20 is observed as Transgender Day of Remembrance after the 1998 murder of transgender and education advocate Rita Hester; and WHEREAS, the International Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) reports that between January 1, 2008, and September 30, 2016, a total of 2,264 murders of transgender people have been reported in 68 countries across the world;
and WHEREAS, 2016 has been the deadliest year on record for transgender individuals, according to Advocate, with 24 lives lost to violence, the vast majority of them being black transgender individuals;
and WHEREAS, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), anti-transgender violence affects youth in schools; 16.2 percent of Trans students experience assault and 32.5 percent report physical harassment;
and WHEREAS, according to the National Coalition of Anti Violence Programs Trans women, often survivors of hate violence, are also more likely to experience police violence, physical violence, decimation, harassment, sexual violence, threats and intimidation compared to those who do not self-identify as transgender women;
and WHEREAS, in 2015, President Barrack Obama made history by being the first president to mention transgender people in a State of the Union Address;
and WHEREAS, in 2016, the Minneapolis Transgender Issues Work Group developed a trans-inclusive employment strategy, as well as the creation of a vehicle to provide resources to community members;
and WHEREAS, the Minneapolis Transgender Issues Work Group hosted the third annual Minneapolis Trans* Equity Summit in 2016 to support and continue to raise awareness of the issues critical to the transgender community;
and WHEREAS, in 2016, the formation of a Transgender Equity Council was approved by the Mayor and City Council to continue engaging the Trans community in Minneapolis;
and WHEREAS, the City of Minneapolis understands dehumanization leads to violence, therefore highlighting the talent and brilliance of the transgender community is crucial to its survival;
and WHEREAS, the City of Minneapolis is committed to policy development and initiatives to advance equity for transgender individuals;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Council officially recognizes the month of November as Transgender Awareness Month in the City of Minneapolis.