Catching up to reality, the ABC News program Nightline has investigated the epidemic of American violence unleashed on transgendered people since Trump’s election, especially trans women of color, and the result is nothing less than devastating.
Hosted by reporter Juju Chang, the segment focuses on a group of trans women living in Dallas, doing a deep dive on the story of 22-year-old Muhlaysia Booker. In April, a crowd of bystanders stood and watched as a man attacked and beat Booker following a minor traffic accident. Passers-by filmed the incident, videos of which went viral.
However, onlookers only intervened after the beating had rendered Booker unconscious.
Following the attack, Booker made an eloquent public plea for an end to violence and acceptance of trans people. A few weeks later, she was murdered.
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Related: WATCH: Matthew Dempsey talks with Rain, a trans woman struggling to feel safe in the dating world
Booker is one of at least 18 trans women of color murdered this year, although the Human Rights Campaign say at least three-quarters of crimes against trans people go unreported.
The ABC report also details an attack against Denver resident Amber Hernandez, a Latina trans person who had her jaw shattered during a beating by a group of men. The attackers have so far eluded arrest.
Pose star Dominique Jackson is quoted about the culture of violence, offering anecdotes from her own experience as an African-American who is trans.
The segment should provide a rallying cry for anyone who cares about human rights, and an ominous warning about the dangers of Trump-era bigotry.
Have a look at the Nightline segments below, courtesy of ABC News:
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
The vile right wing smcubag pukes have been energized with the horrific misadministration currently in DC
These subhumans hate:
N*iggers
F*AG’s
Sp*C’s
K*kes
Chi*ks
And any other minority that are different then them. Above is how those different are viewed. The misadministration in DC emits dog whistles to subtly say it’s ok to go on the attack..
With tact approval they see lashing out at Black Trans persons as killing two birds with one stone.
Who would have ever thought that old adage would take on a literal translation in our country…,
truthseeker
@PLAYS (not so) WELL
You need to learn facts before commenting. The article makes it seem as if this is an “epidemic since the election of Trump”, but in reality the numbers in 2019 are roughly the same as the numbers of trans deaths in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 (all not years Trump was President)
IAMSONICE
@truthseeker I am not sure you have all the facts. Bottom line is Obama signed an amendment to the equality act which provides additional funding for the local enforcement and conviction of hate crimes (which includes LGBT peeps). With out that local authorities didn’t have the additional resources to litigate hate crimes and thus resulted in less violent crimes being prosecuted as hate crimes. The uptick is a representation of better reporting of hate crimes, but doesn’t dissolve the GOP from instigating hateful rhetoric and violence.
Scribe38
This is breaking my heart. The LGBQ has to do better by the T.
Vince
Carry a freaking gun. Especially if you’re trans. This should be a no brainier.
Hussain-TheCanadian
This is outrageous, where is the FBI? Where are the police? How can our sisters be murdered like this without a peep from the authorities?
john.k
How do people know they are trans? I only know two trans people personally. On who is F-M i didn’t know before the transition. I did think there was something different about him. But the penny didn’t drop until he invited me for drinks to celebrate the third anniversary of him becoming Steve. The other, M-F, i did know before the transition. We were both at an event and I would not have recognised her except for her coming up to me and saying “John you might not recognise me. I used to be Richard”. As for trans people I don’t know I wouldn’t be able to tell that they were trans.
Bob LaBlah
I find it even sadder that this article appears AFTER the segment aired. I know that I am not the only person who sends in articles of interest to Queerty that NEVER appear even though they are gay related but it seems TOO hard to believe ABC would have waited days after it aired to tell the community that they are going to air a segment like this. No, I’m not buying it. You see, had word got out the ratings for that segment would have been a lot higher and that would have been an incentive for them (ABC and other networks) to air other segments on trans people. Now I am convinced that i am on their blocked email list and I will not send anything else. I remember the days when they used to even email a thanks for sending them articles that they would have never knew about but for some reason courtesy went out the window two years or so ago. I am trying my BEST to believe that the subjects were not the reason as to why such a slip occurred across the board in the gay media cyber world but its too hard to think otherwise. What other reason could there have been?
Tombear
Common sense dictates all trans people should conceal and carry. My husband and I always carry a gun. We can’t wait for a fag basher to do harm to us. We will use deadly force to protect each other. Get a gun LGBT America. It is becoming a necessity with the big Cheeto as President!
Bob LaBlah
Go on, don’t stop with just suggesting carrying a gun. Tell them what happens when you shoot someone and the bullet misses and hits someone else. Did you check to see if it was safe to pull out the gun and fire it (as in was the person you pointed that gun at standing in front of a crowd of people when you fired and missed and it hit one of them in the crowd that had nothing to do with why you pulled that gun out). Tell them about if they get beat up and the guy/girl is running away you WILL be charged with murder if they die or you will be charged with felonious assault if you shoot them in the back. You can’t shoot a person who is running away from you regardless if they just beat the crap out of you. Tell them about the lawsuits what WILL be filed if you damage an expensive car or shoot out a window of a business because you forgot that carrying a gun does not equal you being able to shoot strait and hit what you aim at. Yes, you will be responsible for the lost business suffered because of it having to stop to repair what you did and customers now afraid to enter said business. There are a lot of reason why you don’t hear about people who carry conceal firearms shooting up the town because of those types of possible consequences but I’ll end with the most common sense reason I can think of: too many in our community have no business carrying around a pair of sharpened scissors let along a firearm in their purse. If you must fight back take an old fashioned judo or karate class. O couple of well placed lefts and rights and kicks to the shins and groin area work everytime and is cheaper in the long run than an overpriced attorney who is going to bleed you for everything you’ve got by the time its all over.
Vince
Hiya hiya. Miss piggy made that part of her routine but in reality when you’re against a group of thugs who mean to murder you that’s a joke. Nothing’s going to stop them short of at lethal force.
Bob LaBlah
@Vince…..tell it to the judge, honey, but I strongly suggest you not where your evening gown and diamond earrings during the trial or sentencing.