Stand Up for Trans Rights on this Transgender Day of Visibility!

UTICA, New York – In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, the Oneida County Pride Alliance  (OCPA) will hold a Trans Rights Rally at noon on March 29th at Utica’s Oneida Square.  

Transgender Day of Visibility occurs on March 31st each year and celebrates the identities and  contributions of trans individuals, while also bringing awareness to their struggles for equality and  acceptance. The transgender and gender nonconforming community faces discrimination and  violence throughout the world and increasingly within our own country. In the first three months  of 2025 alone, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has tracked 527 anti-LGBTQ+ bills  brought to state legislatures (https://tinyurl.com/aclu-tracking). Many of these bills target the rights  of transgender individuals, especially transgender children. Meanwhile, the Human Rights  Campaign has reported that over 2,800 hate crimes were recorded against LGBTQ+ individuals  in 2023 (https://tinyurl.com/HRC-crimes). 

Despite attacks against their rights and safety, transgender and gender non-conforming  individuals are valued members of our country, contributing to music and entertainment, scientific  research, government, and their local communities. The Pew Research Center reported in  January that approximately 40% of adults know a transgender person, while 23% know a  nonbinary person (https://tinyurl.com/pew-research-study). 

The Trans Rights Rally will be co-sponsored by community organizations including Citizen Action,  Defense of Democracy, Indivisible Mohawk Valley, Oneida County NAACP, Rome NAACP, and  Sage Upstate. OCPA and its co-sponsors encourage members of the community to join the rally  to stand up against discrimination and violence against our transgender and gender non 

conforming siblings and rally for their right to be treated with respect and dignity.

About OCPA: 

The Oneida County Pride Alliance (OCPA) is a local non-profit organization that connects,  supports, and empowers the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies in Oneida County by  addressing community needs, providing information about and access to resources, and  coordinating both an annual Pride Celebration and programs throughout the year.