Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Declaring March 31, 2025, to be Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Madison.
Body
WHEREAS, International Transgender Day of Visibility was first created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall, the head of Transgender Michigan, with the goal of celebrating the lives and contributions of trans people; and,
WHEREAS, there are over 1.6 million trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive people in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, transgender and gender non-conforming folks are valued members of the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, on June 8, 2023, the City of Madison raised the trans flag at the Madison Municipal Building for the first time, having the flag fly for a week; and,
WHEREAS, also in June of 2023, the City of Madison declared itself as a sanctuary for trans and nonbinary individuals, stating a commitment to protecting transgender and nonbinary individuals and stating that access to health care is a fundamental right and all people in Madison and the State of Wisconsin should have access to all health care, including gender affirming care; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender Day of Visibility additionally acknowledges the struggles that many trans people face, such as poverty, discrimination, and violence; and,
WHEREAS, due to factors such as discrimination and violence, not every trans person can or wants to be visible; and,
WHEREAS, this discrimination and violence against trans people has impacted Madison, leading to tragedy; and,
WHEREAS, Felicia Melton-Smyth, a transgender woman from Madison, was murdered while on vacation in Mexico in May of 2008; and,
WHEREAS, Felicia was a dedicated activist in the Madison LGBTQIA+ community and was a fundraiser for the Madison AIDS Network and other charities; and,
WHEREAS, Felicia worked in the billing department for the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation and during her nights and weekends was a part-time employee at Shamrock Bar & Grille, where she was known for her smile, jokes, and an annual holiday fundraiser that raised money for gifts for people with HIV/AIDS; and,
WHEREAS, Skylar Marcus Lee, a 16-year-old transgender boy from Madison, took his own life in September of 2015; and,
WHEREAS, Skylar was described as an influential youth leader at Madison’s Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools who had a gift for addressing "why racial justice and LGBTQ justice need to be a part of the same conversation to truly be successful;" and,
WHEREAS, Skylar was an active member of both Madison’s Proud Theatre and Madison West’s Gay Straight Alliance, loved ballroom dancing, and was said to have an infectious kindness; and,
WHEREAS, there has been an intensifying backlash towards trans people in recent years, as evidenced by direct physical violence as well as legislative measures, seen in the 533 anti-LBGTQ+ bills proposed throughout state legislatures in 2024, according to the American Civil Liberties Union; and,
WHEREAS, 14 of these anti-LGBTQ+ bills were from the Wisconsin State Legislature, all of which were successfully defeated, though multiple required Governor Tony Evers’ veto power; and,
WHEREAS, the defeat of these bills is just one example of the resistance this discrimination has been met with, showing the strength and resilience of the trans community and their allies; and,
WHEREAS, this resilience of the trans community has long been on display; and,
WHEREAS, the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, which, in part, were led by transgender women of color, marked a major turning point in the LGBTQIA+ civil rights movement; and,
WHEREAS, while the Stonewall Uprising marked a turning point, there had been similar uprisings throughout the United States, including in the City of Milwaukee with the Black Nite Brawl in August of 1961; and,
WHEREAS, the Black Nite Brawl was a self-defense resistance action led by Josie Carter, a gender non-conforming Black “queen,” against four sailors who demanded admission to the Black Nite bar without furnishing identification, as required by all newcomers; and,
WHEREAS, in Madison, spaces such as the Back-Door Bar, opened in 1972, and the Cardinal Bar, opened in 1974, became the first places that publicly and specifically catered to queer clientele in Madison; and,
WHEREAS, the trans community has been historically resilient and will continue to be so; and,
WHEREAS, Transgender Day of Visibility is celebrated on March 31 each year;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison declares March 31, 2025, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Madison commits itself to supporting transgender and gender-nonconforming residents of Madison and encourages all residents of Madison to resist hate and discrimination.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City of Madison celebrates the lives and contributions of Madison’s transgender community.