Keanna Mattel, 35, is 24th Trans Neighbor Murdered in the US during 2018

Keanna Mattel

I learned terrible news tonight from Detroit where a 35 year old Black trans woman was murdered Friday morning, the 24th transgender victim of fatal violence in the US this year. Her name was Keanna Mattel. Note that Keanna’s surname has been spelled with one ‘l’ and with two. We are using the spelling on […]

A Black Trans Woman Known as Tydie is 23rd Trans Person Murdered in 2018

Tydie Trans Woman Baltimore

A Black trans woman known as Tydie was murdered in Baltimore on Monday, November 26. She is the 23rd transgender person to be murdered in the United States during 2018. Note that in some spaces her name is styled Tydi, but we are using the spelling offered by the trans community in Baltimore. From the […]

Ian, 27, is a Gay Trans Man Resisting Gender Expectations #AMPLIFY

Gay trans man Pittsburgh

What is your greatest hope for the LGBTQ community in Western Pennsylvania? 

I hope for progress honestly. I hope people don’t see inclusiveness as a burden but a part of life. Being inclusive isn’t restricting straight cis people, it’s about not limiting life to just them

Honoring the Lives and Deaths of Our Trans Neighbors on TDOR 2018

Transgender Day of Remembrance 2018 Pittsburgh

The Transgender Day of Remembrance of 2018 has a new degree of poignancy to me because of the additional layers of transphobia that are on display and thread through the lives of our transgender neighbors. It is also the first year I’m blogging about a trans woman from Pittsburgh among those killed this past year. […]

Transgender and LGBQ Community Take Action at Allegheny County Jail; Met With Pittsburgh Police in Riot Gear

Allegheny County Jail Transgender

Thursday evening, dozens of activists gathered outside the Allegheny County Jail to address the poor treatment of transgender inmates, particularly transgender women. Brought together by SisTers Pgh and BlaQK OPS, protestors maintained a presence along Second Avenue. Police responded in riot gear. Of course they did. That same evening, the District Attorney was all over […]

Jodi Hirsh: “I started this fundraiser as a response to the terrible actions of the federal government. And people stepped up in a massive way.”

On October 21, 2018, a friend of mine named Jodi Hirsh decided to use the Facebook birthday fundraiser tool to resist the announcement by the Federal Government that they plan to roll back acknowledgements of gender identity. She chose the Transgender Law Center as the recipient. She wrote “I wasn’t going to do one of […]

Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier is 22nd Transgender Homicide Victim in 2018

Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier was a 31 year-old Black trans woman living in Chicago. On Wednesday, October 3, she became the 22nd transgender person identified as a homicide victim in the US during 2018. According to local reports, Ciara was stabbed to death by an unknown man. A transgender woman who was found dead with […]

Nikki Janelle Enriquez is 21st Trans Person Murdered in 2018, Killed by US Customers Border Agent

Earlier this week, we learned that a US Customs and Border Protection agent had been arrested under suspicion of murdering at least four women and attempting to kidnap a fifth. One of his victims was a 28 year-old Latina trans woman, Nikki Janelle Enriquez. She was a native of Laredo, Texas. From Monica Roberts at Transgriot: […]

20 Year Old Londonn Moore is the 20th Reported Trans Person Murdered in the US in 2018

Londonn Moore

  She was 20 years old. Her name was Londonn Moore Kinnard and she was a Black trans woman living in North Port, Florida which is near Charlotte County. On Saturday September 8, her body was found face down shot to death at the intersection of Sawyer Circle and Red Oak Road at 7:30 AM in […]

Ray Zaborney is the Real Republican Threat to LGBTQ People in Pennsylvania

Ray Zaborney Caitlyn Jenner joke

From Billy Penn comes this (not) shocking transphobic move by Republicans On Thursday morning, Ray Zaborney, a well-known political consultant whose GOP-leaning firm was recently retained to handle Wagner’s media operations, texted a meme of television personality Caitlyn Jenner next to a statement that seemingly mocks the celebrity’s gender transition. Zaborney sent the meme to four people: Jason High, […]