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 […]

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 […]

14 Essential Blog Posts on the Transgender Day of Remembrance

Wednesday, November 20, 20224 is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually from its inception on November 20 to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia. The day was founded to draw attention to the continued violence directed toward transgender people. Here are the posts […]

Now We Know that Black Trans Georgian Woman Skyler Gilmore Was Murdered in 2021

Skyler Gilmore

Her name was Skyler Gilmore. The Crime On June 24, 2021, a 25 year old Black trans woman was murdered in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The two men responsible were found guilty of murder and related charges. One is in custody, the other on the run. With all those charges, he was released on bond during […]

A Black Trans Woman Murdered by Ex-Boyfriend in North Carolina. Her Name was Quanesha Shantel.

Qhanesha Shanell

Just days before Trans Awareness Week, Quanesha Shantel aka Cocoa was a 26 year old Black trans woman when she was murdered in her car. She was shot three times on Sunday, November 10, 2024 as she sat in her car outside her estranged boyfriend’s apartment at Guilford College Road. Hamilton’s estranged boyfriend Jeremy Reynolds, 31, […]

Q&A With Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D. on Transgender Youth

After the brutal murder of 14-year-old trans girl Pauly Likens in Mercer County this summer, I was struggling mightily with how to move forward with my work. The story of how this interview came to be is convoluted, but I put on my blogger hat and asked Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health for […]