HARTFORD, Conn — Members of the Transgender community along with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz raised a flag at a ceremony celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility at the State Capitol Thursday.
Community members ranging from students to caregivers spoke at the ceremony inside the Captiol.
The day is historically celebrated on March 31. GLAAD says on their website that the day is "dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society."
Bysiewicz said this is the second time that Connecticut has had the opportunity to raise the trans flag over the state capitol.
She also recognized the designer of the Trans Pride flag, U.S. Navy veteran Monica Helms.
Of raising the flag, Bysiewicz said, "It says that our state supports the trans community supports our LGBTQ plus community at a time when so many of our rights and so many in our community are under attack in the state and in our country."
One of the speakers, journalist Karleigh Chardonnay Webb, said, "What's visible to me is that in 27 states in the US right now, some form of discrimination against transgender Americans is codified into law. Let that sink in for a second. A contagion of bigotry is falling on a large swath of our country from Florida, up to Idaho west towards Arizona is towards Ohio. "
Fairfield Warde High School senior Theo Keitt, talked about the teens on the cusp of adulthood, facing hate fill rhetoric and violence, but hoping for a better future, "Because in spite of the violence and extremism that feels so commonplace, I'm still convinced that people are inherently good. And I'm convinced that it is not just our responsibility, but our very nature to love in the face of hatred.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, people gathered outside to watch the trans flag be raised over the south side of the Capitol.
Doug Stewart is a Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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