The half-mile march took place in Garden City, New York, and included over 100 transgender Long Islanders, elected officials and LGBT allies and supporters. The march sought to bring visibility to the fact that there are currently no state protections in place for the transgender community and the necessity for Nassau County legislature to pass a bill that would safeguard transgender and gender non-conforming people from discrimination in employment, housing and public access.

“Trans people can be denied employment or fired, kicked out of their apartment by their landlord, or refused service in a restaurant, a ride in a taxi cab or, more importantly, access to health care and legal services; just because the individuals are transgender,” Executive Director of the Long Island Transgender Advocacy Coalition, Juli Grey-Owens, said in a statement. “Our community is the last in New York State that pays taxes, but cannot bring legal remedies against those who discriminate against us. We have been forced to stay quiet for too long. We and our allies will no longer stay silent while our transgender family and friends in Nassau County cannot enjoy the same protections that all other Long Islanders enjoy.”