In 2017, there were 26 reported deaths in the United States of individuals who were murdered due to being transgender.
In 2018, 25 reported deaths.
In 2019, 26 reported deaths.
In 2020, 37 reported deaths.
In 2021, 45 reported deaths.
In 2022, 32 lives were taken. Not by a disease, but by other human beings. In 2019, one death was reported in Michigan. This year, SIX of those deaths took place in Michigan. 32 individuals, most no older than 40 and most trans women of color, no longer walk this earth because someone felt uncomfortable, insecure, or angry for reasons they couldn’t and probably never will be able to explain.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day that comes once a year. One time of year, people other than those who are transgender, are made aware of how hateful our country is. But this is a daily experience for the rest of us. Living in fear that we won’t have a family of our own, a midlife crisis, and then grow old until our kids put us in a nursing home. Living in fear we won’t have enough time on this earth to make our dreams come true. Living in fear that we won’t even see a day where we won’t have to live in fear. And this list of 32 names that is given to us is not an exhaustive list by any means. This is only a list of those who were reported and also were given the dignity of being remembered as their true selves. In many cases, the death is unreported or the person is reported under the wrong name or gender, so they go unnoticed as a hate crime death.
Today, or even sometime this week, take a moment to listen. To love. To reach out. And to also remember. Vigils are available in many communities. If you aren’t able to attend one, I encourage you to hold one of your own in your homes. Find a quiet place, light a candle, and read the names of those whom we have lost this year.
You can go to https://www.glaad.org/blog/tdor-memoriam to see the full list of names as well as how they were killed, how old they were, and the location to where they were found.
Thanks for reading. Stay safe💙💗🤍
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Tiffany Banks - a Black trans woman - Miami, FL - 25 yrs old
Semaj Billingslea - a Black trans man - Jacksonville, FL - 33 yrs old
Mya “Regina” Allen - a Black trans woman - Milwaukee, WI - 35 yrs old
Dede Ricks - a Black trans woman - Detroit, MI - 33 yrs old
Acey Morrison - a Two-Spirit Lakota - Rapid City, SD - 30 yrs old
Aaron Lynch- a trans man - McLean, VA - 26 yrs old
Kandii Reed - a Black trans woman - Kansas City, MO - 29 yrs old
Marisela Castro - a transgender Latina - Houston, TX - 39 yrs old
Hayden Davis - a Black trans woman - Detroit, MI - 28 yrs old
Cherry Bush - a trans woman - Los Angeles, CA - 48 yrs old
Keshia Chanel Geter - a Black trans woman - Augusta, GA - 26 years old
Martasia Richmond - a Black trans woman - Chicago, IL - 30 yrs old
Kitty Monroe - a Black trans woman - Cordova, TN
Shawmaynè Giselle Marie - a Black trans woman - Gulfport, MI - 27 yrs old
Brazil Johnson - a Black trans woman - Milwaukee, WI - 28 yrs old
Chanelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway - a Black trans woman - Albany, NY - 30 yrs old
Maddie Hofmann - a trans woman - Malvern, PA - 47 yrs old
Sasha Mason - a transgender Latina - Zebulon, NC - 45 yrs old
Nedra - a Black trans woman - Opa-locka, FL - 50 yrs old
Ray Muscat - a white trans man - Township, MI - 24 yrs old
Fern Feather - a trans woman - Morristown, VT - 29 yrs old
Ariyanna Mitchell - a Black trans girl - Hampton, VA - 17 yrs old
Miia Love Parker - a Black trans woman - Chester, PA - 25 yrs old
Kenyatta “Kesha” Webster - a Black transgender woman - Jackson, MI - 24 yrs old
Kathryne “Katie” Newhouse - an Asian-American trans woman - Georgia - 19 yrs old
Tatianna LaBelle - a Black transgender woman - Chicago, IL - 33 yrs old
Paloma Vasquez - a transgender Latina - Houston, TX - 29 yrs old
Matthew Angelo Spampinato - a white trans man - Castle, DE - 21 yrs old
Naomie Skinner - a Black transgender woman - Highland Park, MI - 25 yrs old
Cypress Ramos - a trans Latina - Lubbock, TX - 21 yrs old
Dual Princess - a Black trans woman - Jacksonville, FL - 24 yrs old
Amariey “Myara” Lei - a Black transgender woman - Pittsburgh, PA - 24 yrs old