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Transgender community facing violence
In the midst of the health and economic tolls of the pandemic, the transgender community faces another increasing threat — violence. FOX 26's Maria Salazar has more.
HOUSTON - The Human Rights Campaign reports this year, so far, at least 36 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been killed.
In 2019, there were at least 25. Of those, 91 percent were black women.
The FBI also reports a 20 percent increase in gender-identity bias hate crimes from 2018 to 2019.
Author and activist, Hope Giselle, says she learned to honor the lives lost by uplifting others.
"As many pictures as we're going to post of the death of Black trans women, I'm going to remind people that this sister just passed the bar [exam] today. This sister just opened up a nail salon today. I want to combat negative images and remind trans women that our life is not just death in a picture," Hope told FOX 26.
Diamond Stylz runs the non-profit Black Transwomen Inc. She says the pandemic has increased their care package distribution program because of the need for basic necessities dramatically.
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She adds the trans community, particularly trans people of color, do not have access to the safety nets and public accommodations, like the general population.
"80 percent of trans folk say that they've been harassed, kick out of places, fired from jobs," said Diamond.
Diamond and Hope both say the isolation and fear of job loss, widely experienced because of the pandemic, is something they are accustomed to.
"You are worried about getting fired from your job while this is happening, trans people are worried about getting fired every single day," Hope said.
Diamond and Hope both expressed what they most wish for is respect for all lives.
"If we could just respect trans people as people, a lot of the issues that we have quite frankly just wouldn't exist," Hope added.
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"You don't have to understand everything to care about people," Diamond concluded.
Resources for Trans women of color:
Black Transwomen Inc
The Mahogany Project
The Montrose Center
TransGriot Blog
Transgender Ally Collective