PRESS STATEMENT

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE

MARCH 31, 2022

On Transgender Day of Visibility, the United States affirms that transgender rights are human rights.  We celebrate the achievements and resilience of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons around the world.  We recognize their bravery in their hard-fought work for equality, inclusion, and the full recognition of their human rights.  We celebrate the diverse expressions of gender and the full diversity of gender identities around the world.

At the same time, we underscore the work that remains to ensure that all transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons are able to live authentically, safely, and with dignity.  Transgender people face disproportionate levels of violence from physical attacks to denial of necessary, gender-affirming medical care, to the passage of discriminatory laws targeting transgender persons.  Those who face multiple intersecting forms of discrimination are even more vulnerable to these attacks.  Transgender persons must be able to live free from violence, discrimination, and stigma.

We call on governments and other partners around the globe to join us in fighting for a world in which everyone can live safely and openly as themselves.  We will not waver in our commitment to upholding the human rights of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons worldwide.