March 16, 2022 – The City of Allentown will partner with Eastern PA Trans Equity Project to honor the transgender community on the International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) by raising the transgender flag over the plaza outside City Hall.

“TDOV is a day where thousands of communities across the globe come together to celebrate transgender people, their accomplishments, and their contributions to society,” said Corinne Goodwin, Executive Director of Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, an advocacy group with a mission of empowering transgender and gender expansive individuals throughout a 16-county region of Pennsylvania.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and members of the local transgender community will offer remarks during this first ever event.

“There are thousands of gender-expansive people living in the Lehigh Valley, people who are doctors, nurses, lawyers, factory workers, truck drivers and more,” said Mayor Tuerk.  “They are people who help to keep our communities strong and vibrant, and they deserve to be celebrated.”

“In addition to honoring the contributions of transgender folk, we also want to recognize that many gender-expansive people struggle in a society that often stigmatizes them for living authentically,” added Goodwin.  “That makes the City’s efforts at inclusiveness and support all the more important and we are thankful that Allentown is one of only a few dozen communities that offers legal protections for LGBTQ people within the Commonwealth.”

The TDOV flag-raising will be held at 11:30am on Thursday March 31 at Allentown City Hall.

Information provided to TVL by:
Genesis Ortega
Communications Manager
Office of the Mayor
http://www.AllentownPA.gov

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