Op-ed: 14 Reasons That Made 2011 Great for Trans People

7. The U.S. and the U.N. Speak Up for LGBT Rights 

Global transgender rights work has been happening for years, and this year saw more advances than ever including the U.S. government aggressively supporting transgender rights worldwide. Earlier this year, the United Nations issued a resolution calling for an end to human rights violations against trans and LGBT people. As a report resulting from that resolution was being issued this month, the Obama administration stepped in with a major U.N. speech by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on all countries to protect LGBT human rights and a memorandum from the president instructing American agencies to promote the human rights of LGBT people in their diplomacy and aid work.