Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those who have died as a result of anti-transgender violence.
Some may think that because transgender people are referenced lately in pop culture or the news, that they are widely accepted and that the job of pushing for trans acceptance is “done.” The fact of the matter is that discrimination against transgender people is still extremely common, and as a part of this, trans people across the globe continue to suffer violence due to their gender identity.
Below are just some of the facts and statistics about violence against transgender people, from a large survey of about 6,500 trans and gender non-conforming people (references below).
- Of those who expressed a transgender/gender-non-conforming identity while in grades K-12, 35% experienced physical assault, 5% were physically assaulted by teachers or staff, and 3% were sexually assaulted by teachers or staff. Students of color experienced higher rates of harassment and violence across the board.
- 7% have been physically assaulted on the job.
- 8% have reported having been physically attacked or assaulted in doctor’s offices, buses, government agencies, retail stores, and other public venues.
- 47% of trans and gender non-conforming people who tried to use homeless shelters left due to poor treatment. 25% were physically assaulted at the shelter by residents or staff. 22% were sexually assaulted at the shelter by residents or staff.
- Of trans and gender non-conforming people who experience domestic violence, 65% had attempted suicide, compared to 32% of those who had not been abused. 48% experienced homelessness, compared to 9% of those who had not been abused. 29% engaged in sex work, compared to 7% of those who were not abused.
As should be obvious from the facts above, trans acceptance is not where it needs to be. The tragic result of this violence is summarized below; a list of trans and gender non-conforming individuals who were killed in the United States since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20th 2016). Please hold these people in mind if you get a chance to stand up for the trans community. This level of violence and discrimination cannot be undone by trans people alone, it begs for help from everyone.
India Monroe, aka India Thedarkvixen
Newport News, Virginia, USA
21-Dec-16
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Mesha Caldwell
Canton, Mississippi, USA
4-Jan-17
Shot to death
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
7-Jan-17
Undetermined
Jojo Striker
Toledo, Ohio, USA
8-Feb-17
Shot to death
Jaquarrius Holland
Monroe, Louisiana, USA
19-Feb-17
Shot
Tiara Richmond aka Keke Collier
Chicago, Illinois, USA
21-Feb-17
Shot
Chyna Gibson, aka Chyna Doll Dupree
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
25-Feb-17
Shot to death
Ciara McElveen
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
27-Feb-17
Multiple stab wounds.
Alphonza Watson
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
22-Mar-17
Shot to death
Kenne McFadden
San Antonio, Texas, USA
9-Apr-17
Drowned
Chay “Juicy” Reed
Miami, Florida, USA
21-Apr-17
Shot to death
Mx. Bostick
New York, New York, USA
4-May-17
Attacked with a metal pipe on the 24th of April.
Note: There has been a lot of confusion as to the gender identity of this individual. What we do know is that they were born male, and that they did for a period of time live as a female. At the time of their death, they were homeless and presenting as male. As such, we have put a gender neutral designator on this name, and are using they/them pronouns. As with every case presented, any additional information would be desired.
Sherrell Faulkner
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
16-May-17
Passed away from injuries sustained in a November 30th, 2016 attack
Imer Alvarado
Fresno, CA
17-May-17
Shot
Note: Alvarado did not identify as a transgender woman, but as a gay male. He was, nevertheless, presenting in female attire at the time of his murder, and this may have had a part in this death.
Kendra Adams, aka Josie Berrios and Kimbella Rosé
Ithaca, New York, USA
13-Jun-17
Murdered and burnt
Ebony Morgan
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
2-Jul-17
Multiple gunshot wounds
TeeTee Dangerfield
College Park, Georgia, USA
1-Aug-17
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Gwynevere River Song
Waxahachie, Texas, USA
12-Aug-17
Shot
Kiwi Herring
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
22-Aug-17
Shot by police in suspicious circumstances
Note: While Herring was killed by the St. Louis Police Department, allegedly while brandishing a knife at officers, there were circumstances surrounding this death that were anti-transgender in nature, including threats and actions from a neighbor that led to the confrontation that led to Herring’s death.
Anthony “Bubbles” Torres
San Francisco, California, USA
9-Sep-17
Shot
Note: Like Imer Alvarado, above, Bubbles did not identify as a transgender woman. He was, nevertheless, presenting in feminine attire at the time of his murder, and this may have had a hand in this death.
Derricka Banner
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
12-Sep-17
Shot to death
Ally Lee Steinfeld
Licking, Missouri, USA
21-Sep-17
Ally was stabbed, including wounds to the genitals. Her eyes were also gouged out. Her body was burned in an attempt to conceal evidence of the crime, and some of Ally’s bones were put into a garbage bag placed in a chicken coop near the residence.
Stephanie Montez
Robstown, Texas, USA
26-Oct-17
Multiple gunshot wounds
Candace Towns
Macon, Georgia, USA
31-Oct-17
Shot to death
References
https://www.glaad.org/tdor
https://tdor.info/
http://forge-forward.org/anti-violence/
https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/NTDS_Report.pdf
Transgender Day of Remembrance 2017
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those who have died as a result of anti-transgender violence.
Some may think that because transgender people are referenced lately in pop culture or the news, that they are widely accepted and that the job of pushing for trans acceptance is “done.” The fact of the matter is that discrimination against transgender people is still extremely common, and as a part of this, trans people across the globe continue to suffer violence due to their gender identity.
Below are just some of the facts and statistics about violence against transgender people, from a large survey of about 6,500 trans and gender non-conforming people (references below).
As should be obvious from the facts above, trans acceptance is not where it needs to be. The tragic result of this violence is summarized below; a list of trans and gender non-conforming individuals who were killed in the United States since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20th 2016). Please hold these people in mind if you get a chance to stand up for the trans community. This level of violence and discrimination cannot be undone by trans people alone, it begs for help from everyone.
India Monroe, aka India Thedarkvixen
Newport News, Virginia, USA
21-Dec-16
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Mesha Caldwell
Canton, Mississippi, USA
4-Jan-17
Shot to death
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
7-Jan-17
Undetermined
Jojo Striker
Toledo, Ohio, USA
8-Feb-17
Shot to death
Jaquarrius Holland
Monroe, Louisiana, USA
19-Feb-17
Shot
Tiara Richmond aka Keke Collier
Chicago, Illinois, USA
21-Feb-17
Shot
Chyna Gibson, aka Chyna Doll Dupree
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
25-Feb-17
Shot to death
Ciara McElveen
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
27-Feb-17
Multiple stab wounds.
Alphonza Watson
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
22-Mar-17
Shot to death
Kenne McFadden
San Antonio, Texas, USA
9-Apr-17
Drowned
Chay “Juicy” Reed
Miami, Florida, USA
21-Apr-17
Shot to death
Mx. Bostick
New York, New York, USA
4-May-17
Attacked with a metal pipe on the 24th of April.
Note: There has been a lot of confusion as to the gender identity of this individual. What we do know is that they were born male, and that they did for a period of time live as a female. At the time of their death, they were homeless and presenting as male. As such, we have put a gender neutral designator on this name, and are using they/them pronouns. As with every case presented, any additional information would be desired.
Sherrell Faulkner
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
16-May-17
Passed away from injuries sustained in a November 30th, 2016 attack
Imer Alvarado
Fresno, CA
17-May-17
Shot
Note: Alvarado did not identify as a transgender woman, but as a gay male. He was, nevertheless, presenting in female attire at the time of his murder, and this may have had a part in this death.
Kendra Adams, aka Josie Berrios and Kimbella Rosé
Ithaca, New York, USA
13-Jun-17
Murdered and burnt
Ebony Morgan
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
2-Jul-17
Multiple gunshot wounds
TeeTee Dangerfield
College Park, Georgia, USA
1-Aug-17
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Gwynevere River Song
Waxahachie, Texas, USA
12-Aug-17
Shot
Kiwi Herring
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
22-Aug-17
Shot by police in suspicious circumstances
Note: While Herring was killed by the St. Louis Police Department, allegedly while brandishing a knife at officers, there were circumstances surrounding this death that were anti-transgender in nature, including threats and actions from a neighbor that led to the confrontation that led to Herring’s death.
Anthony “Bubbles” Torres
San Francisco, California, USA
9-Sep-17
Shot
Note: Like Imer Alvarado, above, Bubbles did not identify as a transgender woman. He was, nevertheless, presenting in feminine attire at the time of his murder, and this may have had a hand in this death.
Derricka Banner
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
12-Sep-17
Shot to death
Ally Lee Steinfeld
Licking, Missouri, USA
21-Sep-17
Ally was stabbed, including wounds to the genitals. Her eyes were also gouged out. Her body was burned in an attempt to conceal evidence of the crime, and some of Ally’s bones were put into a garbage bag placed in a chicken coop near the residence.
Stephanie Montez
Robstown, Texas, USA
26-Oct-17
Multiple gunshot wounds
Candace Towns
Macon, Georgia, USA
31-Oct-17
Shot to death
References
https://www.glaad.org/tdor
https://tdor.info/
http://forge-forward.org/anti-violence/
https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/NTDS_Report.pdf