The Human Rights Campaign has estimated that trans women are 4.3 times more likely to become homicide victims than all women,and the vast majority of the victims are Black. Why does it seem so common for Black trans or trans POC to be victims of hate crimes as opposed to regular crimes? We can all agree that the world is constantly changing and evolving for the better or worse of our society but not many accept those changes. Death rates in the LGBTQ community have always proven to be high, especially death rates in transgender people, mostly transgender women of color. We live in a crime filled world with limited consequences but back in 2015, there were numerous reports of homicides involving those who are transgender or gender non-conforming, more deaths occured within the first few months of that year then in 2014. While Transgender people deaths isn’t a big issue facing society today, there are victims in the Trans community who are affected by society’s systematic rule because Trans people aren’t really accepted by society based on their choice of gender identification, they deal with multiple discrimination whether it’s from friends, family, or other members, and they are often seen in a bad light.
Transgender people all come from different paths in life. They can easily be your cousins, brothers or sisters, other family members, community members, or maybe even your neighbor ranging from young to old. Like everywhere else, they are diverse and partake in many different religions and beliefs. Transgender is a term for people who embrace and explore the other gender that they were not assigned at birth, this term did not come into use until the early 20th century when people started to show more and more characteristics of this gender identification, although there were people in the years/centuries before who would identify as so, the term was still not in effect. Other research suggests that there seems to be about 700,00 trans people in the U.S. making them 3.5 percent of the LGBTQ community and 0.3 percent of the world’s population overall.
The LGBTQ community were orignally often seen as people with a mental illness centuries ago or people who tend to be seen as sexual predators. Although it isn’t the same way it is today, Trans people are still ridiculed for the way they are in a world that isn’t fully welcomed to change. They are faced with hardships that are not meant to blow over easily and create conflict. It isn’t a problem that’s taken seriously and only a few people are willing to see change and progressiveness. These issues often result in Trans people not being accepted in the way that they want whether it’s by lawmakers or members that they know or are around.
With this in mind, Transgender people are known to face very complex and frequent problems especially in the crime world of today. They often lack legal protection as there is no law that deals with gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) states that only 18 states and the District of Columbia prohibit employment and housing discrimination based on gender identity, only 15 prohibit discrimination in educational bases. Following these circumstances, many Transgender people, not being able to be accepted by society turn to dangerous circumstances involving a life of poverty,crime or sex work. ‘It happens because you have folks that have still not bought into the reality that trans people are human beings too. And we are not going away, we are not going back in the closet,’ Roberts said. ‘We are part of the diverse mosaic of human life and the sooner that people accept that and move on, the better.’
The statistics on the dangers transgender people come across are concerning. According to a 2015 survey conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 29 percent of transgender people surveyed live in poverty, and 30 percent had been homeless at some point in their lives. Their unemployment rate was 15 percent – three times the national average. Despite an increase in acceptance by corporate employers, 30 percent who were employed reported having been fired, denied a promotion or otherwise mistreated in the workplace. One in ten have come forward about being victims of violence from family members because of their gender identification, and 8 percent confirmed they were rejected from their homes as a cause.
This results in a National Epidemic involving Transgender people being victims of numerous hate crimes especially Trans POC. Concerning those issues, it is believed that race, sexual preference, transphobia, and lack of human decency seems to play a big part in this matter therefore putting Trans POC at high risks. Those violent crimes committed usually are almost always close to the victim whether it be acquaintances, partners, friends/town members or in the unlikely case, strangers. These circumstances force Trans people to often isolate or lack minimal connections to other people fearing the worst or always staying in places that they feel comfortable with or safer in. The confidence and pride to feel safe in their own skin is limited because of society’s issues in a land meant to be for the free.
According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), report on hate violence against the LGBTQH or HIV-affected communities, 72 percent of the victims of hate violence homocides in 2013 were transgender women, and 67 percent were transgender women of color. Trans people have few choices that provide them with help or protection. There are only 22 percent of the trans population that are known to have reported any crimes, 6 percent reported physical assault, 2 percent reported sexual assault, and 20 percent reported refusals of service by law enforcements. Study shows that not many Trans people are comfortable with seeking help or shelter from an incident in fear of worse. Which can easily state that the crime rate on Transgender people is very high because of limited resources used.
The Transgender Epidemic has such a big impact in the Black community and the community overall that there are constant protests whether it’s for the rights of transgender or simply because of the crimes of Trans people that were overlooked or too big to be ignored. “I am tired of my sisters being killed,” protests leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group. The “Violence Against the Transgender Community” organization project started in 2013 to track deaths of Trans/gender non-conforming individuals, since then 150 killings involving them have happened. At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018, 29 in 2017, and 22 in 2019. Across the globe, 331 trans and gender diverse individuals have been killed between October 2018 and September 2019 and over 3,300 have been killed since January 2008. Of the 22 known deaths in the U.S. 91 percent of them were black women, 81 percent were under the age of 30 and 68 percent lived in the South.
Why are black trans women usually the victims of these crimes’simply because they’re black, trans, and women. “It’s really these intersecting forms of inequality that put trans women of color at the highest risk of homicide,’ Kerith Conron, research director and distinguished scholar at the Williams Institute, told CNN. Black people are known to usually have a higher rate of poverty than white people, according to a report by the William Institute. Overall, transgenders have higher rates of poverty than any other gender identification in the community. Reality is that when faced with more than just racism and penury, consequences are deadly.
There is no official source that states the correct number of deaths in Trans people in a given year. Some of these incidents are sometimes never reported to law enforcements, the death rate is likely higher than recorded. Other issues state that Trans people are often misgendered at time of death, law enforcements, family members, witnesses and even friends might refer to the victim with the gender that they were assigned at birth. They are often misgendered because the family may more than likely not feel comfortable enough to use the correct pronouns, or it would be the fact that that victim wasn’t out to many. Incorrect misgendering from members and authorities can also lead to incorrect media coverage too.
Following this issue, Monica Roberts, Media Chair of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, started tracking murder victims in the Trans Community. ‘Frankly, I got tired of black trans women being disrespected by the media,’ Roberts, told CNN. She would look at obvious signs or reports that often had the saying “man in women’s clothing” and figured that they had been misgendered and then wrote about it. People often send her tips and come to her with numerous reports of Trans victims that they feel should have the right justice served. She often finds information through media outlets and advocacy organizations.
While there is no solution to ending the violence, activists have banned together to at least argue for direct financial support. “Even small bits of economic security can help keep us away from unsafe situations.” says Renee Jarreau, a Dj and producer who owns a twitter account calles “Pay Black Trans Women”. Having that financial security not only helps them to sustain themselves but helps them organize tactics that can be proven to tackle the issues faced. It means it’ll help them face the violence that’s currently occuring and battle against it. The ultimate purpose isn’t just money but the help it’ll provide.
What’s also important is that we should be aware of the violence going on involving Trans people. ‘It seems to be uncurbed, and we collectively across the country need to be coming together to say that this is unacceptable and we need to do something to stop the violence,’ said Beverly Tillery, Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project. She says people often focus on the wrong parts of the problem, she wants the conversation to go beyond deaths and more digging into what we can do to help prevent this problem. What law or action can be pushed to maintain and stabilize this issue once and for all. If steps aren’t taken to benefit the needs of those in danger and those who are in the path of violence and discrimination, it’ll be too late once somebody has been killed or critically injured.
A number of issues need to be addressed in order for Trans people to become less likely victims of violence and other forms of discrimination. This situation isn’t to be overlooked but to be taken as a serious matter. To achieve justice for those whose lives were wrongfully taken. For those whose lives aren’t taken into consideration and often ignored even by law enforcements. Policies and attitudes need to change in order to really tackle the issues at hand.
While 63 percent of Americans in a Pew Research Center poll last year said gays and lesbians should be accepted by society, just 46 percent in an August Quinnipiac University poll said greater acceptance of transgender people would be ‘a good thing for society.’ Not many support the Trans lifestyle as well as they support any other parts of the LGBTQ community. They are less likely to obtain support from their community. ‘People think we’re freaks…’ says Blue Montana, a transgender man who is the transgender program manager at The Center, a support center for LGBT people in Las Vegas. The fight for equality and acceptance goes far beyond just sexuality and pridefulness, it would mean a better way of living.
The issue of the hatred for the Trans population will not only inhabit upcoming Trans women/men to transition with precautions but with fear of what the outside world thinks. They may feel confident but have no pride, may feel like themselves but have no directions, may feel free but have misunderstandings. If we don’t solve this issue, we will not only have a world that conspires against Trans people but a disorganized world. Protests are still not enough, the mournings of family members are still not enough, the demand for correction or rights for Trans people are still not enough. The eagerness to help this community can help create a world in the future where Trans people are accepted and confident enough to do as they please.
Putting heavy prison sentences and shame on those who have caused this issue, will not help fix anything. Of course justice needs to be served, but it doesn’t erase the problem at hand. The problem of innocent men and women who simply put their lives at risk every single day for being who they are versus the constant hatred of those who can’t stand a constant win for change. Not only is it a problem with us citizens but it’s a problem within the law, who refuse to create a law that benefits this community. It can be challenging to really determine what’s really helping but we know as long as we are aware of this issue, it’s enough for change.
Trans people fear that further actions taken to support them could result in disagreement from a larger community because they feel that the LGBTQ+ community has been given everything they asked for in terms of better environment and equal rights and that now they’re coming to look for more. They also fear that there wouldn’t be much change if we were to band together to battle out differences. That deep down society still would have their doubts and nitpick at everything they do. Actions caused their spirals to fear because a future of change isn’t really promised. We may take actions that will benefit their existence but will it stick like we forced everything that wasn’t welcomed before to.
Far too many people are affected or have been victims of transphobia. It’s important that everyone works together to create an environment that’s welcoming to that side of the community as well as the LGBTQ community as a whole. We need to start looking more into why the system isn’t so allowing of Trans people to occupy certain parts of their law. We need to start asking questions and being more aware of what goes on and get more involved. Helping this community will not only encourage us to be better citizens but make it a safe and better place.
The transgender community, especially the word, has been around for quite a long time. There’s been many discrimination and unfit situations that they had to endure, meaning they are 4.3 times more likely to be homocide victims then women altogether. Most of those targeted were Black POC who constantly live in fear of a world that’s set out to stop change. They face multiple types of discrimination that’s against their way of living. Most of the crimes caused against them where for unnecessary reasons that could’ve been avoided, reasons that were unfair yet society doesn’t see it that way.
While Transgender people deaths isn’t a big issue facing society today, there are victims in the Trans community who are affected by society’s systematic rule because Trans people aren’t really accepted by society based on their choice of gender identification, they deal with multiple discrimination whether it’s from friends, family, or other members, and they are often seen in a bad light. Like previously stated, we need to encourage change in a world not so welcoming of it and create possibilities of helping Trans people anyway that we see fit. Put ourselves in their shoes and create an environment that will stimulate change and a better world that will cancel out their challenges that they face now. We need to acknowledge the fact that the world we live in is very dangerous, it will not always accept anything unknown following the lead of society. Addressing the problem isn’t going to be easy, but it starts with education and experience.
