Right now, in America, the “Black Lives Matter” movement has picked up steam and has now taken off. Internet and Television is amplifying the movement, but I want to amplify another movement that people have failed to take notice of. The “Trans Lives Matter” movement needs to pick up steam too.
Why?
Transgendered people are widely mistreated in America too and this would not be a true woman centered blog if I did not touch upon the struggles of all women and transgendered women most definitely struggle. I must admit, I do not understand a lot of the issues that they may face but ignorance is not an excuse to allow these women to be targeted and mistreated.
As a woman, I can relate to being targeted and mistreated and that means even if I don’t understand the struggle of transgendered women in totality, I know enough to advocate for their human rights. I am speaking up and sending some love and encouragement their way.
Recently, there has been case after case of attacks on transgendered women shared in the media and at this point, in my mind it is a human rights issue. Because if it is wrong to attack people on the basis of race, since when is it acceptable to attack people on the basis of gender?
The Attack of Muhlaysia Booker
There was an incident that went viral last year that I would like to give attention to. On April 12, 2019 a twenty two year old Black American transgendered woman named Muhlaysia Booker was attacked after a minor traffic accident in a Dallas apartment complex.
After backing a car belonging to her friend into another car, Booker was then held at gunpoint in attempt to collect money for the damages. A crowd formed due to the dramatics, and that’s when someone offered to give a adult man, Edward Thomas, 200 dollars to attack Muhlaysia who by all accounts was a transgendered woman. Thomas who is a man, beat Booker, who was a woman.
The crowd stood by while Booker was beaten and they even called her names, and taunted her. Then several men then joined in, beating this helpless woman until she was unconscious. This poor woman was even beaten with a brick. It wasn’t until several brave women in the crowd, seeing the travesty, grabbed Booker and carried her to safety and that is when the attack ended.
Remember this was all over a minor traffic incident. Usually you trade insurance information, maybe get a police report, and go along your way. It’s rare that a crowd of people will beat a woman unconscious for a fender bender.
I do not understand why this is acceptable behavior? There are people who will sit and justify this treatment and I question the humanity of anyone who would think that it is acceptable to beat up someone. A person who would justify you being beaten for property you mistakenly damage, is not someone who I would chose to live among. This was wrong and anyone witnessing this debacle should of seen it at such but that wasn’t the case. There are people who justify men beating this woman
Men will usually jump to a woman’s defense but in the case of Muhlaysia Booker? The men all joined together to give her a group assault. What if those women hadn’t stepped in on her behalf? They would have easily killed her.
But wait, Muhlaysia Booker was killed a month later.
The Murder of Muhlaysia Booker
May 18, 2019 Muhlaysia Booker was killed by Kendrell Lyles, who is also suspected of killing another transgendered woman. The murder is not surprising because it is rumored Booker was a sex worker and that in conjunction with being transgendered, put her at high risk for being murdered.
Many transgendered women try to enter the workforce and end up marginalized in their employment. A lot of them chose sex work as alternative to traditional jobs for a variety of reasons as you can imagine. They face discrimination, harassment and hostility in the traditional workplace but sex works put them at risk for being preyed upon and sometimes killed.
Desperate women will turn to sex work and their desperation will put them into the circles of dangerous men. Sometimes the motivations of such men are perplexing because they seek out sex with transgendered women but the outcomes of these liaisons sometimes turn deadly………
It has come out that the Booker murder was one of a long line of transgendered women murdered in 2019, including Michelle Simone, and another transgendered woman, Claire Legato. It’s just Booker’s murder was high profile due to the video of her being attacked at the Dallas apartment complex that previous month. Murders of women are not uncommon and national attention is rarely given to transgendered women who have family and loved ones who wish they would receive justice.
Michelle Simone was a transgendered woman who was 40 year old. This woman was only one of three trans women that were killed in Philadelphia in a three day period. She died from multiple gunshot wounds and no motive was listed for her murder. Well her life mattered so we are hoping she is resting in peace.
Claire Legato was a transgendered woman was shot in head over a dispute over money. A man simply shot her over n argument and she died….we wish her peace in Heaven as well.
The Attack of Iyanna Dior
I don’t know if it is a trend, but what is it with traffic accidents and transgendered women being beaten? Because in June 2020, another transgendered woman named, Iyanna Dior was beaten by approximately 20 men after an accident in Minnesota at a convenience store until a clerk shielded her behind the counter. It’s sad, mean and hateful. To watch anybody be beaten is horrible, but to know that this doesn’t happen routinely to women.
At least in America, mobs of men do not usually attack women while others not only watch but cheer them on….it’s an issue. It’s a woman’s issue. It’s a human rights issue. And the fact that people find this okay is disturbing to the Empath inside of me who cries every time I have to watch another trans woman tell her story of abuse.
She speaks about her attack on a video I found:
(Posted on YouTube by The Armon Wiggins Show)
Spread Love Instead of Hate
It is no secret women often are the lowest on the totem pole not only in America but worldwide. But natural women do have an advantage over transgendered women, the fact that we are born women with the “right” private-parts. I’m not going to go off on a tangent because like I said this topic is still in a lot of ways foreign to me. But I am seeking out information and if I was inaccurate in this post, please correct me out of love in the comment section. But understand, this post really is a effort to spread awareness on the plight of our misunderstood sisters.
How can we help the suffering of transgendered women? While I would never ask a woman to put her body on the line, I do expect natural born women to speak out against the abuse our sisters with the “wrong” body parts in ways you will remain safe. They are no different from us except for some important differences but they are still women. We should use our “privilege” to speak out whenever it is safe.
We can educate ourselves about the LGBTQ community and transgendered women. And I hope trans women will be more open to helping cis women understand some things about them. We need understanding and acceptance to help us foster a more supportive environment for all women.
And how about this?
We don’t laugh at them. We don’t harass them. And more importantly when we come across one, we try to identify with them.
But what do I know? I’m just a bootleg sociologist who nobody will listen to so, I started a blog……….
Want to do more? Here is an organization you can support:
Note:
The use of right or wrong is not a slight against transgendered people, as it is my attempt to highlight the negative views that many transgendered people face. It is my understanding that transgendered individuals who identify with the opposite gender that is placed on them often feel like their private parts are wrong. If I am in anyway offensive please excuse my ignorance and educate me in the comments, thank you.
What are your thoughts?
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