Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid, Halle Berry and other stars signed an open letter in support of transgender women and girls
Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid, Halle Berry, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson, Janelle Monae and other celebrities have signed an open letter in support of transgender women and girls.
The letter was published by the LGBTQ organization GLAAD and black transgender activist and writer Raquel Willis on the International Day of Visibility of Transgender People and the last day of Women's History Month-an action aimed at highlighting the contribution of women to world history and the development of modern society.
Transgender women and girls have been an integral part of the struggle for gender liberation. We support this truth and condemn the ongoing anti-transgender rhetoric that we see in various industries. We affirm with all clarity and strength that transgender women are women, and transgender girls are girls. And we believe that respecting the diversity of women's experiences is a strength, not a detriment, to feminism. We all deserve the same opportunities and freedom. We deserve equal access to education, employment, health care, housing, recreation, and public housing. And we must respect everyone's right to physical independence and self-determination,
- it says.
The letter was signed by more than 465 feminist leaders in the fields of human rights, business, entertainment, media, politics, and social justice, who expressed solidarity with transgender women and girls.
The letter also said that last year was the deadliest year on record for the community and that there is still an ongoing epidemic of homicide and violence plaguing black and Latino transgender women.
We must all fight against the unnecessary and unethical barriers placed on transgender women and girls by lawmakers and those who use the feminist label to divide and hate. Our feminism must be resolutely inclusive so that we can leave the door open for future generations,
- the activists concluded.