Black Trans Murders in 2020

The Sobering Number of Black Transgender Female Murders in 2020

Helena Habtemariam

There is an ongoing crisis that largely goes ignored in mainstream society: the extremely high number of violent tragedies of Black transgender women. Identifying as a Black transgender woman puts one in a position where they are susceptible to multiple types of discrimination due to their race, gender identity, and often, socioeconomic status (Martinez & Law, 2019).

Furthermore, the social and political climate here in the U.S. breeds a toxic environment for transgender people. Just a few weeks ago, the Trump administration passed new regulations that “…define gender as biological sex and would allow insurance companies to deny coverage for transition-related treatments” (Carlisle, 2020). Although the various advocates have fought this rule in court, this motion highlights the lack of protection transgender people face time and time again.

In 2018, the Human Rights Campaign reported that 26 transgender people were violently killed, with most of them being Black trans women. In 2019, 91% of transgender victims that were violently killed were Black trans women. This year alone, the HRC reports that “at least* 21 transgender or gender non-conforming people [were] fatally shot or killed by other violent means” (HRC, 2020). 8 of these individuals identified as Black transgender women:

Monika Diamond

Nina Pop

Dominique “Rem’mie” Falls

Riah Milton

Brayla Stone

Merci Mack

Shaki Peters

Bree Black

It is necessary to be an advocate for our trans community, and that starts with recognizing how privilege works and understanding that non-conforming gender identities are always up for judgment.

*It is important to note that the HRC uses “at least” because these stories often go unreported or misreported.

References

Martinez, G., & Law, T. (2019, June 12). Murders of Black Trans Women Reveal a Crisis, Advocates Say. Retrieved from https://time.com/5601227/two-black-trans-women-murders-in-dallas-anti-trans-violence/

Carlisle, M. (2020, June 13). Two Black Trans Women Were Killed in the Past Week. Retrieved from https://time.com/5853325/black-trans-women-killed-riah-milton-dominique-remmie-fells-trump/

Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). Violence Against the Transgender Community in 2020. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020