III.
RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS
Mr. Jacob Hurt, 6 Nugget Hill Drive, Gales Ferry, stated that he was speaking for
himself this evening. He noted that March 31st marked the International Transgender
Day of Visibility which was meant to celebrate the Transgender Non-Binary
Community and to raise awareness around the violence and discrimination they
continue to face.
Mr. Hurt went on to state as we meet this evening, the Federal Government was
taking active steps to strip away the Transgender Non-Binary Community’s rights
through executive and legislative action. He stated the Transgender Non-Binary
Community has been kicked out of the military without warning and without
recourse. He stated these individuals were not allowed to have passports that align
with their identity. He stated that there were several laws being put into play and
trying to be passed that would limit their freedoms to interact in ways that you and I
take for granted. He noted that there were threats to withhold funding from hospitals
to perform gender reform and care for children. He stated in the latest Military Policy
Bill they banned gender affirming care for the dependents of military members if they
happen to be gender nonconforming. He stated of all of this rhetoric continued to
single them out and endanger them for no reason other than to score political points.
He stated that some states have also introduced bills that would make just identifying
as transgender or providing support to such a person a felony with jail time. He noted
that there was one bill in Arkansas that would ban gender affirming haircuts. He
stated right here in Connecticut that Legislators have introduced over two- dozen
Trans Bills this year alone, which was over double the number of these bills seen in
the past 5-years combined. He stated that Legislators representing Ledyard have
sponsored these bills and have made public remarks, spreading falsehoods about
transgender children in order to score political points. He stated despite of all this, the
Transgender Non-Binary Community was still here, fighting for their rights and
humanity. He stated the Transgender Non-Binary Community have an exemplary
resiliency in the face of these needless and cruel acts. He stated that none of this stuff,
no executive orders, laws, or urban myths, does anything to lower egg prices, or
anything to lower the mill rate, or anything to make crime go down; or to secure the
border. However, he stated that terrorizing children by withholding care and bullying
them does none of that either. He asked that residents imagine that if this was being
done to your parent, your partner, your sibling, or your child. He asked the
Community Relations Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to recognize the
Transgender Day of Visibility, and to once again provide an event in June to
Celebrate Pride. He stated that the event appeared to be well received and well
attended last year. He stated that he was also counting on his fellow residents to
acknowledge the humanity and rights of their fellow residents, and to reflect on how
they could help put a stop to the needless cruelty that the Transgender and
Non-Binary Community faces today. He went to state for his fellow residents, who
are members of the Transgender and Non-Binary Community that he was only
speaking for himself tonight, but that they were far from being alone. He stated that
their resiliency was exemplary, and he thanked them for continuing to try to live their
authentic life. Thank you.
