DNC Chair Tom Perez and DNC LGBTQ Caucus Chair Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr. released the following statement on National Coming Out Day: 

“Today, we celebrate the courage of LGBTQ people to live their authentic lives, and reaffirm our love and support for those who have not yet come out. While our nation has made great progress advancing LGBTQ rights, our fight for full equality is far from over. 

“Today, Black trans women face the highest level of violence in the LGBTQ community, and this year those murdered include Dana Martin, Jazzaline Ware, Ashanti Carmon, Claire Legato, Muhlaysia Booker, Michelle ‘Tamika’ Washington, Paris Cameron, Chanel Lindsey, Chanel Scurlock, Zoe Spears, Brooklyn Lindsey, Denali, Berries Stuckey, Kiki Fantroy, Pebbles LaDime ‘Dime’ Doe, Tracy Single, Bailey Reeves, Bee Love Slater, Ja’leyah-Jamar, and Itali Marlowe. LGBTQ youth are still subjected to harmful conversion therapies performed by “specialists” who hide behind the First Amendment to evade government regulation of their medically-dubious practice. LGBTQ workers can still be fired simply because of who they are, and Senate Republicans refuse to pass the Equality Act that would help protect LGBTQ workers from discrimination. Our fight continues, and the Democratic Party stands with the LGBTQ community in their struggle for equality.”  #NationalComingOutDay