Biracial Trans Man, Sam Nordquist, 24, Missing from Minnesota, Tortured and Killed in Canandaigua, New York

CN: torture, murder, transgender identity This will be an ongoing investigation. But what we know now is: Sam Nordquist was born in Red Wing, Minnesota and lived most recently in St. Paul, Minnesota. He identified as biracial. In the missing person’s postings, Sam’s family said he had about 22 tattoos, including an owl tattoo on […]

I Knew Elisa Rae Shupe (1963-2025) and She Deserved Better

Jamie Shupe Pittsburgh

I met Elisa Rae Shupe, known then as Jamie, here in Pittsburgh. She had moved here with her wife for trans affirming health care. We met through the local LGBTQ Community Center when I was seeking donations from veterans groups to support trans and queer youth. Note: while Elisa is well known for winning a […]

29 Year Old Black Trans Woman Tahiry Broom Killed in Detroit

Tahiry Broom, a 29-year-old Black transgender woman, was shot and killed on Sunday morning, February 9, in Southfield, Michigan. She was visiting Detroit from Cleveland. Tahiry’s nickname was Tokyo. According to WXYZ, Robert Ridges III, 28, met her through a commercial sex advertisement and met up on Sunday, Feb. 9, near Ridges’ apartment in Southfield. […]

Man Threatens to ‘Track Me Down’ for a ‘Physical Discussion’ in Response to My Trans Affirming Content

“I’m on my way out anyway. I will find people affiliate with you. I do not stop for protesters. I will run through you” Content Note: threats of violence, transgender content, police Over 20 years of blogging and activism, I have been thrashed and trashed from many corners. I’ve had mean, vicious comments, email, postal […]

So Tracking LGBTQ+ Executive Orders and Actions Matters Now

GLAD Law has published a summary of the anti-LGBTQ executive orders. I highly recommend you visit their site for solid information grounded in facts and common sense. They also tell what’s to be done about them. Below I list the framing GLAD uses for each Executive Order followed by the language the White House chose. […]

What is Pennsylvania Media Saying About LGBTQ Issues Now

What impact will the Presidential Executive Order on gender identity have on the chance of Pennsylvania passing statewide nondiscrimination protections via the Fairness Act? Here are some steps LGBTQ+ people can take to prepare for the Trump administration Will Pennsylvania Finally Ban ‘LGBTQ+ Panic’ Defense? Philadelphia advocate for trans community discusses Trump’s executive order on […]

Video: 1986 Short Film Focused on Three Lesbians

This brief film featuring three lesbians discussing their lives in 1986 has been one of the most well received posts on my Instagram feed. Everyone want to know what happened to these three women. I hope to find out! Lesbians (1986) has been digitally preserved by UCLA Film & Televsion Archive in conjunction with Outfest […]

Trans Youth 25 and Under Represent nearly 50% of the Reported Violent Deaths of Trans Americans in 2024

On December 1, 2024, the body of Ra’Lasia Wright was discovered in Minneapolis. She was just 24 years old. Nearly a month later, police have not identified suspects or released information about the case. To date, media coverage has been limited mostly to local media outlets. Even the national LGBTQ media has failed to acknowledge […]

Black Trans Teen Cam Thompson Killed in Alabama

Cam Thompson

Cam’s death is the 40th reported in 2024 as of December 25. In a horrifying end of the year turn, violence has claimed another trans teen’s life. Cam Thompson, a Black transgender 18-year-old girl, was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on December 16, 2024. Cam died after being shot in the 600 block of […]

A 24 Year Old Black Trans Woman of Puerto Rican Descent Was Shot to Death in Minnesota. Her Name was Ra’Lasia Wright.

Ra’Lasia Wright was 24 years old when her body was discovered in the years between two houses in a Minneapolis, Minnesota neighborhood on December 1, 2024. Ra’Lasia is sometimes styled Ralasia and sometimes Ralai. Ra’Lasia was a Black Latina trans woman of Puerto Rican descent. The Crime A ping from Ra’Llasia’s iPhone alerted friends and […]