WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry honored Transgender Day of Remembrance Wednesday and pledged to help transgender and LGBT people across the world.
"We have made tremendous progress in advancing the rights of LGBT [people]," Kerry said in a statement. "But when people continue to be harassed, arrested and even killed simply because of who they are and who they love, we know that we still have hard work before us."
He said in countries around the world -- and in the United States -- gay and transgender people are routinely discriminated against, and police fail to properly investigate incidents of harassment or physical violence. Kerry said the State Department is working to prevent such instances across the world.
"[We] are engaging diplomatically to address the specific challenges faced by transgender persons. And that's why we will continue to urge other governments to protect all of their citizens regardless of their gender identity," Kerry said. "The rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons are not special or separate or different. They are basic human rights. And human rights are universal, not negotiable."
