Protestors dressed in white, gathered Sunday, June 14, 2020 to protest for Trans-rights
What We Know:
- The protests started amid the murders of two transgender women, Dominique “Rem’Mie” Fells, 27, of Philadelphia, and Riah Milton, 25, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Philadelphia’s office of LGBTQ affairs released a statement saying, “We are reminded with this, and countless other painful losses — especially within our transgender communities — that there is much left to do until we achieve full equality, respect, and support for us all, the murder of transgender people — especially those of color — is truly an epidemic, and a crisis that we cannot afford to allow to persist any further.”
- According to the Human Rights Campaign, 91% of trans and non-gender conforming people in 2019 were African American. Milton and Fells are two added to the 14 documented murders for the year 2020. The HRC also stated that the majority of violence against the transgender community goes undocumented and unreported.
- According to CNN, the protest was led and centered around black Trans women of color. Organizers stated that it was important for the protest to be focused on Trans people of color both black and Non-black and the “leg work” be done by non-trans individuals. The collective of groups were to demonstrate the power people hold when they respectively work in unity with each other.
- Many arrived at the Brooklyn museum to mourn the lives of those lost, and voice their demands for equality. Protestors dressed in white as acknowledgment to the 1917 NAACP’s Silent Protest Parade, one of the first public demonstrations of civil rights by black Americans. Co-Organizer West Dakota stated that the white was also in stand against corporate appropriation. “The decision to wear white was to symbolize our unity” Dakota voiced, “We don’t need rainbow (merchandise) to show our pride.”
- The Brooklyn protest proceed into Sunday evening as over a thousand people showed their support and marched in complete silence.
- If you or anyone you know are struggling with trans related issues contact translifeline at:
As protests continue to ensue across the country, many are called to focus on black trans people, who are caught in the intersection of two marginalized groups.
