Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid and Halle Berry are among the female celebrities who have spoken out in support of trans rights to mark Transgender Day of Visibility.
The celebrities signed an open letter to the trans community that was published on Wednesday 31 March.
More than 465 feminist leaders signed the letter, with other signatories including Gloria Steinem, Chelsea Clinton and Regina King.
Brie Larson, Janelle Monáe, Patricia Arquette and Laverne Cox also signed the letter.
Published by GLAAD, the American LGBT+ charity, the letter states: “In observance of Women’s History Month and Transgender Day of Visibility, we write this letter as feminist leaders in advocacy, business, entertainment, media, politics, and social justice who stand as, with, and for transgender and nonbinary people.
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“Trans women and girls have been an integral part of the fight for gender liberation. We uphold that truth and denounce the ongoing anti-transgender rhetoric and efforts we witness in various industries.”
The letter went on to acknowledge that “transgender women are women and that transgender girls are girls”.
“And we believe that honoring the diversity of women’s experiences is a strength, not a detriment to the feminist cause. All of us deserve the same access, freedoms, and opportunities,” it continued.
“We deserve equal access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, recreation, and public accommodations. And we must respect each person’s right to bodily autonomy and self-determination,” it continued.
The letter also called for equal rights for trans people regarding education, employment, healthcare, and housing.
“It is time for the long history of assaults (legislative, physical, social, and verbal) against trans women and girls to end,” it added.
“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.”
You can read the letter in full here.
