Islington Council to fly transgender flag for Day of Remembrance tomorrow
Islington Council will fly a transgender flag from the top of town hall tomorrow, to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance is held across the world every year on November 20world, to mark the huge number of transgender people who lose their lives to transphobic violence around the world.
226 transgender people were reportedly killed in the past 12 months – though statistics are unreliable, as most countries do not hold accurate data on transgender victims.
Islington Council will fly the transgender flag over town hall for the day, ahead of its remembrance event.
Labour councillor Osh Gantly – who is currently the only openly trans elected politician in the UK – said: “Transgender Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity for the entire community to remember, mourn and honour the transgender and gender-diverse people who have been murdered in the last year and the years before.
“In many countries today it is still the case that transgender and gender-diverse people are routinely murdered, beaten, bullied and discriminated against.
“It is vital that we stand-up for transgender rights as they are human rights.
“I am very proud to be an Islington Labour councillor that happens to identify as transgender.
“But I am especially proud that, for the first time ever, our council has chosen to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance by flying the transgender flag over Islington Town Hall.
“I’m fortunate that I live in London, one of the greatest cities in the world, which is in the main a welcoming place to be a transgender or gender-diverse person. But transphobic hate crimes do take place in our great city every day.
“I’m pleased to say that Islington Council is committed to tackling hate crime in all its forms.
“I know that, as a Labour council, we stand together for all our residents and today we proudly proclaim that includes our transgender and gender-diverse residents.”
Liverpool council also plans to fly the flag over its Town Hall tomorrow.
A list of events across the UK for the Transgender Day of Remembrance is available here.
