Dear Mr. President,

I chose this historic Ladies Room door, which I photographed at the Great Hall on Ellis Island in 1983, because Ellis Island is a national landmark, and a reminder of the hope for freedom and prosperity that the United States has traditionally offered to the “poor, tired, hungry, and downtrodden of the world,” (as proclaimed the 1991 federal legislation designating January 1, 1992 as National Ellis Island Day). As human rights issues like transgender bathroom access and gender equality can be decided by the President, the Courts and Congress, my update to the Ladies bathroom door for “Ellis Island Redux” extends a welcome message of hope, freedom and equality to people of all gender identities and is inclusive to all immigrants, regardless of their religion or country of origin.