The Board of County Commissioners proclaimed Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, as Transgender Day of Remembrance in Multnomah County.
The proclamation, co-sponsored this year by Commissioners Jesse Beason and Sharon Meieran, honors and remembers transgender and gender non-conforming people killed by acts of anti-trans violence.
“We know that lives do not need to be lost for violence to be inflicted, verbally or mentally, so it’s also a day to remember that," said Beason, who opened the Thursday, Nov. 21 board meeting.
This year, Multnomah County’s Prism and QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) Employee Resource Groups requested that board members refrain from comments after speakers’ remarks. Instead, they asked the Board to conclude the item by holding a meaningful moment of silence, then a call for a vote on the proclamation.
A panel of three speakers addressed the board members. Crisanto Barajas, the educational officer for Gabriela Portland, a grassroots organization fighting for the rights and welfare of Filipino women and gender diverse people, shared about a U.S. Marine who killed a Filipina trans woman. The court found him guilty of only homicide after invoking the transpanic defense. In 2020, then-President Rodrigo Duterte granted him absolute pardon after serving less than half his sentence.
“As a Trans man and a member of Gabriela Portland, I appeal to us all to see the inexplicable ties to violence against trans people and violence against women,” said Barajas.
“I appeal to those who are here today to take up the historic fight for trans rights; to take up the historic fight for women's rights and to link arm-in-arm to strike at the root of our issues.”
Niki, a member of the Kalikasan Solidarity Organization, underscored the imperative of having a global understanding of the systemic injustices and dangers trans people experience.
“We recognize in the struggle for trans, non-binary, intersex, gender queer, and gender diverse liberation, we must have an international analysis that acknowledges the gender diverse people within all struggles for liberation,” Niki said.
Noting a political shift toward increased threats to, violence against and vilification of LGBTQIA2S+ people spread internationally “through cultural exports, economic influence and military proliferation” — but also “even and sometimes especially in sanctuary cities like Portland” — Niki spoke to what an occasion like Transgender Day of Remembrance can mean.
“The fact that we live in a county that is willing to boldly proclaim a trans day of remembrance speaks to the particular role we have here in combatting hatred and exploitation and uplifting a peace rooted in justice and liberation for all,” she said. “Let's remember the highest form of remembrance is inviting in their name for an end to the systems that enable and are upheld by violence towards transgender and gender-oppressed people.”
JB/Julia Brown, a mental health consultant with the Behavioral Health Division, described a “mostly positive experience coming out at work.”
“I have worked for Multnomah County for over 11 years and have come out twice at work — both for my sexual orientation and for my gender identity,” they said, noting that they “currently work with wonderfully affirming co-workers, supervisors, and managers.”
However as a co-chair of the Prism Employee Resource Group, Brown said they are fully aware this is not the experience of many trans and nonbinary County employees.
"Many come to the group seeking support for chronic transphobia, which can come in the form of others knowingly and consistently misgendering and dead naming trans employees.”
Trans staff have tried to provide education and remind employees of their affirmed name and pronouns, only to be met with defensive, dismissive and self-serving responses, Brown reported. “While using the incorrect pronouns or name for someone may seem like a minor issue, it's not only death by a thousand cuts, but it is also at the core of why we honor Transgender Day of Remembrance.”
Still, Brown praised County advocates, including many commissioners, directors, managers, supervisors and other leaders, who are making steps toward “meaningful progress for a safe work environment.”
Brown also shared gratitude for the Office of Diversity and Equity, and office staffperson Sam Silverman in particular for having “done so much work in their role as policy specialist and in their leadership role.”
Still, much work remains.
“This is a very precarious time for trans rights, and we are not immune to the impact of anti-trans legislation in Oregon or Multnomah County,” Brown cautioned.
Brown concluded the panelists’ testimony with a call for County leaders to engage with the QTPOC and Prism groups to create a resolution “to urgently and meaningfully address the pervasive transphobia occurring amongst county employees.”
After Commissioner Beason led the room in the requested moment of silence, the commissioners unanimously approved the proclamation.
Watch the full slate of testimonies here.