"That’s why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners,
and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or
people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender." --President Barack Obama, January 20, 2015
The 2015 State of the Union speech was broadcast to our nation earlier tonight.
While there was a lot to like in President Obama's speech, one of the things that has electrified Trans Nation was the fact that he made a little history by mentioning us in it.
While cynics will say that the POTUS uttering the word 'transgender' in the State of the Union speech won't magically change the lives of trans people in the United States, it still matters to every trans person inside the borders of this country.
What it does do is act as a shot of inspirational self esteem to a downtrodden and maligned community that damned sure can use it. At a time when the Religious Right and the conservative movement is increasingly attacking us with falsehoods and lies, it makes us feel included in the life of this country.
We'll also be standing a little bit taller in the morning with wider smiles on our faces.
It's wonderful when the leader we trans peeps elected with our votes twice in 2008 and 2012 recognizes us with the nation's and the world's television cameras on him.
It says to us trans folks, we matter. It also mattered that our trans kids got to hear their president say 'transgender' tonight along with their trans elders.
Yeah, we in Trans America know we have a lot of work ahead of us until trans human rights are a reality across this nation. But hey, let us trans peeps revel in our historic moment.
This is one State of the Union speech we'll never forget.
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