22 Year Old Trans Man Luis Ángel Díaz Castro Killed by Domestic Partner in Puerto Rico

Luis Ángel Díaz Castro was killed 12 Aug 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico by his ex-domestic partner. Luis identified as a Latino trans man and lived in the El Trébol residential complex, in Río Piedras. His mother reported him missing, she hadn’t seen him since the Monday before. She told police that her son […]

Latina Trans Woman Maria Jose Rivera Rivera, 22, Killed in Houston

Maria Jose Rivera Rivera was a 22-year-old Latina trans woman from El Salvador. Her death was first reported in late January, but unconfirmed by law enforcement investigators until recently. Maria Jose was killed in what’s described as a murder-suicide by an intimate partner on January 21, 2023 in Houston. Based on early reporting, her death […]

RIP Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien, 42, First Trans Woman Murdered in 2018

Christa

A 42-year-old in the town of North Adams, Massachusetts is the first known transgender person to be killed in 2018 in the United States. Her name was Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien. The man who confessed to police that he killed Christa is her husband, 47-year-old Mark Steele-Knudslien. He is awaiting arraignment. An autopsy will be conducted Sunday […]

Her Name Was Dalia Sabae

Dalia Sabae

Her name was Dalia Elhefny Sabae. She was 28 years old. She was born in Egypt, spent some time living in Moscow and has lived in the United States. According to her Facebook and LinkedIN pages, Dalia was fluent in three languages – American English · Français ·Arabic and proficient in three others – Hebrew, Spanish and Russian. Arabic was her native language. She was also bisexual, interested in both men and women.

Dalia was a dancer. She had been an instructor and worked various jobs as she pursued her education. She earned a pharmacy degree in 2011 and was working on a master’s program through Washington & Jefferson College near her home. Dalia was a pharmacy intern at the time of her death.

Update on the Murder of Candra Keels #SayHerName

Candra Keels

Domestic violence within the LGBTQ community is a taboo topic. Much like family based violence, it is something that we disregard and shoosh off to the side of the conversation around the epidemic of violence sweeping through our community, particularly among QTPOC. In January, a 20 year-old young woman of color named Candra Keels was […]

Vigil Held for Yazmin Vash Payne, Suspect Surrenders

Yazmin Vash Payne

  Trans neighbors and allies turned out Sunday evening to honor the life of Yazmin Vash Payne (also known as Yazmin Paris), a 33 year old trans woman of color who was found stabbed to death in the middle of an apartment fire.  They were joined by Van Nuys Assemblywoman Patty Lopez.  These photos are […]

Candra Keels, 20 Year Old Queer Woman of Color, Murdered in Domestic Dispute

Candra Keels

This morning, the family of 20-year-old Candra Keels of Rochester, NY are burying their loved one who was murdered allegedly at the hands of her girlfriend. Officers responded to 15 Denver Street about 3 A.M. for the report of a fight. There they found Candra Keels with a stab wound to her torso area. Keels […]

The Legitimacy of the Rape Debate (Trigger Warning)

It is hard to know where to begin with the wretched “legitimate rape” comment from Todd Akin, Senate candidate from Missouri. “It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. […]