Click here to watch a recording of the webinar
Queer visibility has never been higher. In recent years, we’ve seen the expansion of legal protections, rising numbers of queer folks elected to political office, and a greater embrace of nuanced queer representation in media. However, queer folks still experience high rates of violence and homelessness. In 2020, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a record number of trans and non-binary people — the majority of whom were Black and Latinx trans women — were fatally shot or killed by other violent means.
Queer people’s vulnerability to violence and discrimination affects their experience of cities and public transit systems. For instance, in Phoenix, Arizona, a trans woman stopped by the Valley Metro fare enforcement team was later taken into custody and came under deportation threat by ICE for merely waiting on the light rail platform.
How can transit and transportation agencies make their systems accessible and comfortable for queer people? What can queer people in the field do to help marginalized folks navigate these spaces? Join us for a discussion about the varied and intersectional nature of queer marginalization in cities, what it means to create truly queer-inclusive public spaces, what responsibilities transit agencies have, and how planning professionals can mobilize to move the industry forward.
Panelists:
Kathryn Boris, Transit Planner, City of Phoenix Public Transit Department
Janice Li, BART Board Director & Advocacy Director, SF Bicycle Coalition
Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT Board Director & Executive Director, 128 Business Council
Caro Vera, Senior Transportation Planner, Fehr & Peers
Moderator:
Catherine Luchars, Program Fellow, TransitCenter