Never before has it been more dangerous to be trans, the letter said, denouncing 'anti-transgender rhetoric'. — Reuters picTORONTO, March 31 — Hundreds of celebrities joined advocacy groups in an open letter today in support of transgender rights, criticizing a raft of US states that want to bar young, trans Americans from playing school sports or getting medical help.
The intervention by more than 465 signatories came as debate intensifies worldwide over what rights to extend to trans and non-binary people, who do not define themselves as male or female. “For far too long, lawmakers have worked to strip trans women of their civil liberties - in 2021, once again, we’ve seen a wave of bigoted governmental policies and legislation,” said the letter, released by LGBT+ advocacy group GLAAD.
Raquel Willis, a trans rights activist who organized the letter with GLAAD, said it was published at “probably the most important time in recent history” for transgender rights. Released on International Transgender Day of Visibility, the letter said 2020 was the deadliest year on record for violence against transgender people, with more than 44 murders.