Dozens of Dem Reps Are Displaying Transgender Pride Flags Outside Their Offices This Week

Democratic House members passed a non-binding resolution opposing the Trump administration’s transgender military ban Thursday while dozens of blue, pink, and white striped transgender pride flags lined the halls of Congressional office buildings.

The Democrats’ effort to strike down the ban happened to coincide with Trans Visibility Week.

The National Center for Transgender Equality delivered transgender pride flags of pastel blue, pink and white stripes to every member of Congress — Democrat and Republican — this week and asked them to display them at their offices.

Dozens of members heeded the call.

This year, there are 159 members of the Congressional LGBT Quality Caucus, the largest ever since the caucus’ founding in 2008. The caucus is co-chaired by eight openly queer House members.

Among them is Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.), who showed off a picture of her flag Wednesday.

Many members of Congress posted photos of their flags before going to vote for the resolution on the trans military ban.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues to fight against President Trump’s discriminatory ban against transgender service-members,” Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) tweeted Thursday. “We will never allow hate and prejudice to undermine our military readiness and national security.”

Democratic senators joined in on the effort as well, including 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

“Discrimination has no place in our society,” the Vermont senator wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “I am proud to display this flag as a symbol of my support for transgender people across the country. We must stand with transgender people in all of our communities.”

Dozens more members posted photos of their transgender pride flag displayed on flag poles, hung on their doors, or even wrapping it around themselves.

Every Democrat in the House of Representatives and five Republicans voted in favor of the House resolution against the trans military ban.

President Trump surprised lawmakers when he tweeted in July of 2017 that the military would no longer allow transgender people to serve in the military. The policy was challenged in federal court, but the Supreme Court allowed the ban to proceed in a 5-4 decision in January.

However, the decision is yet again being challenged in court. That, along with the Democrat-led House, ensures Trump will continue to have to fight if he wants his ban permanently in effect.

IJR has reached out to the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Congressional  Transgender Equality Task Force for comment.

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