Resolution Formally Recognizes Transgender Day of Remembrance, Calls for Action Against Epidemic of Violence

This resolution formally recognizes the goals and principles of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, an event held annually to honor the memory of transgender people lost to violence. Crucially, it goes beyond simple recognition by declaring that violence against the transgender community is an epidemic, and calls for Congress and the executive branch to act through inclusive legislation and policies. The resolution specifically memorializes 28 individuals, including Rick Alastor Newman and Tiara Love Jackson (Tori), who died violently between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, underscoring the urgency of the problem.

The Realities of Systemic Challenges

This isn’t just a symbolic gesture; the resolution lays out the cold, hard facts about the systemic challenges facing the transgender community. It highlights that this violence disproportionately targets transgender women of color, particularly Black transgender women, who are the most targeted group in the U.S. It also details the massive hurdles they face in daily life, which makes them more vulnerable. For instance, the resolution notes that as many as one-third of transgender women face homelessness, and this rate is even higher for Black, multiracial, or undocumented transgender women.

More Than Just Violence: Healthcare and Mental Health Crises

The resolution connects the dots between violence and other forms of systemic neglect. It calls out significant barriers to healthcare access—like insurance gaps, stigma, and legal restrictions on gender-affirming care—which contribute to poor outcomes. The mental health statistics are particularly jarring: nearly half of all transgender people have attempted suicide at least once, a rate almost 10 times higher than the general population. The resolution directly links the spike in poor mental health and suicidality to the introduction of anti-transgender legislation and restrictions on healthcare, arguing that legislative action has real, harmful consequences.

What This Means for Policy and People

Because this is a resolution, it doesn’t create new laws or allocate funds, but it sets a clear policy marker. By formally recognizing the epidemic of violence and the systemic challenges (like high rates of homelessness and healthcare barriers), the Senate affirms the principle that every person deserves basic human rights and dignity. The call to action is a direct demand for the U.S. Government to make finding solutions to these problems an “urgent priority.” For everyday people, this resolution is a public acknowledgment of the community’s suffering and a formal commitment from a branch of government to support legislative efforts aimed at protecting transgender lives and ensuring their contributions to society are recognized.