Senator Markey has strongly denounced President Trump’s transgender military ban calling it un-American and unconstitutional. Senator Markey is the proud author of the Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act, which bans the use of hateful so-called “gay panic” and “trans panic” defenses which seek to excuse crimes such as murder and assault by arguing that the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity provoked the defendant’s violent reaction, blaming victims for the violence committed against them. Senator has also been a leader in fighting for the protections of the global LGBTI community. He led a bipartisan call to hold accountable Russian and Chechen officials responsible for human rights abuses against LGBT persons in Chechnya, and introduced the International Human Rights Defense Act which would create a permanent Special Envoy for LGBTI rights. This Congress, Senator Markey authored the GLOBE Act, comprehensive legislation that would make the U.S. the global leader in LGBTI rights protection.