Update: Missing Trans Teen Ashley Lane Has Been Found

Ashley Lane

Word is that Ashley Lane has been found safe and will be reunited with their family this afternoon. Columbus police did not release details but said that Ashley Lane, 15, was found about 3 p.m. today. She was being taken to police headquarters to be reunited with her family and to talk to detectives. We […]

15 Year Old Trans Youth Missing in Columbus Ohio

Ashley Lane

Saturday evening, 15-year-old Ashley Lane left their family’s hotel room to attend an event at a Columbus Anime Convention (Ohayocon). They didn’t return. At first their parents thought they might have run away, but they left behind their glasses, coat and phone charger. Now they suspect something worse has happened. There’s no simple way to […]

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 […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman of Color Yazmin Vash Payne Murdered Near Los Angeles

transgender women

Note: this post has been updated to reflect the preferred name of the victim. Her name is Yazmin Vash Payne. She had previously been identified as Michell Vash Payne and alternately as Yasmine Payne. Some media outlets have posted her old name, but we will not do that. If you have photos of Yazmin, please […]

Another QTPOC Murder Underscores Epidemic of Violence

Transgender Candle

I saw a tweet when I slipped into my car after some grocery shopping. It was impossible, I thought to myself, that another transgender sibling was dead. Not again. I just wrote about two trans sisters who had been murdered as well as the murder of a lesbian and the death of a 51 year […]

Ty Underwood Shot in Texas, 2nd Trans Woman of Color Murdered in 2015

Ty Underwood

Even more tragic news to share – this time 24 year-old Ty Underwood, a trans woman of color, was found shot to death Monday morning in Tyler, Texas. A woman called 911 saying a car had hit a telephone pole and that her children heard gunshots. Underwood’s roommate believes Underwood was targeted because she is […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman of Color Lamia Beard Murdered in Norfolk

Lamia Beard

Lamia Beard was just 30 years old. Her body was found Saturday morning, January 17. Her life and death were shown further disregard by police & media misgendering as well as victim blaming. From The Virginian Pilot: According to a news release, Beard was found shortly before 4 a.m. in the 700 block of E. […]

Five Places To Donate Feminine Hygiene Supplies in Pittsburgh

A recent article on The Huffington Post titled “For Homeless Women, Getting Their Period Is One Of The Most Difficult Challenges” has been a topic of much discussion on Facebook. I’ve written about this in the past, but here are the talking points Tampons, pads and related supplies cannot be purchased with SNAP (food stamps) […]

Governor Elect Tom Wolf Takes Two Important LGBTQ Visibility Steps

Dr. Rachel Levine

I’ve been pondering the issue of why LGBTQ visibility in municipal government matters. By pondering, I mean this is something I’ll write about again and again. And again. By visibility, I specifically mean the presence of LGBTQ individuals in positions of senior leadership and responsibility. I think we all agree that a diverse workforce is a good […]

Pittsburgh Vigil for Andi Woodhouse, Trans Man Who Died By Suicide

Andi Woodhouse Vigil

On Saturday, January 3, a dozen people gathered on the 10th Street Bridge near Pittsburgh’s South Side to honor the memory of Andi Woodhouse. Andi was a 24-year-old trans man, a new resident of Pittsburgh who died by suicide in mid-December at this location. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did a nice story leading into the vigil. […]