click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
A man walking by joins the protesters and raises his fist as they cross Cherry Way downtown.
More than 100 marchers took to the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh today, to protest the Trump administration's discrimination of trans people, including rollbacks of healthcare and housing policies. Protesters, led by the group TransYOUniting, also called out various healthcare providers in Pittsburgh, including UPMC, Allegheny Health Network, and others to ensure the health and safety for those in the trans community was being met.
The group started in front of the US Steel Tower, home to the
UPMC headquarters, before making their way to the City-County Building on Grant Street. Various trans speakers told their personal stories and demonstrators took time to remember trans people who have lost their lives.
In June, the Trump administration
reversed an order that provided health-care protections for trans people in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and in dealing with health insurance companies. Allegheny County Council responded to that policy reversal in July and
added protections for people seeking medical treatments to the conditions of its nondiscrimination bill. This protects trans people, as well as all other protected groups, from being discriminated against when seeking health care in Allegheny County.
The group was also protesting the Trump administration's announcement last month that it planned to
roll back an Obama-era rule that currently prohibits federally-funded homeless shelters from discriminating against people based on their gender. Allegheny County has housing protections in place for trans people.
The marchers continued their protest to Market Square before coming back to the City-County Building and thanking those for attending.
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
Local rapper argues with protest organizers while trying to shoot a music video
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
A "Black Trans Lives Matter" sign is seen as protesters walk by Millie's Ice Cream near Market Square.
click to enlarge CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
Jalina McClarin leads the group of protesters through Downtown.