Anti-Transgender Violence

What is Gender? Gender Identity: is an internal sense of being male/female. This is different from a biological/genetic sex. Assigned gender: is the gender attributed at birth to fit your genitals. Assigned sex: the sex you were attributed at birth based on cursory examination of your genitals. Bigendered: people that feel they have both male and female sides to their personalities.

Definitions Sex: many variables have been identified in determining sex, chromosomal sex, gonad sex, hormonal sex, internal reproductive organs, external genitals, assigned sex and gender role. Transgender: a person whose identity or expression differs from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity. Both transgender and trans-identified is often used as a catchall term for gender variant people. Transsexual: a person who suffers from intense gender dysphoria and may or may not require  surgical and hormonal medical intervention. Post-operative: a transsexual who had a genital transformative surgery. Pre-operative: a transsexual who has not had a surgery but is planning on having one.

Definitions continued… Cross-dresser: enjoys dressing in cloths appropriate to the “opposite” gender. (Used to be referred to as Transvestite.) Drag queen or king: cross-dresses for more theatrical reasons. Intersexual: someone whose sex may be neither male/female. 1/500 of the population has a karyotype other than XX or XY. (Used to be referred to as hermaphrodites.) Androgyne: chooses to live outside of socially prescribed gender roles. (Also known as the third sex.)

Myths and Facts Myth: The sex assigned to a person at birth is their “real” sex or gender. Myth: Transgender people and transsexuals are really lesbians or gay men who are uncomfortable being same-sex oriented. Myth: Male-to-female transsexuals are considered men until they have sex-change surgery. Myth: People can be categorized as transsexual or non-transsexual there is no in between.

Reshae McCauley Location: Largo, Florida Cause of Death: Severe upper body trauma Date of Death: December 7, 2003 VICTIMS Barry Winchell Location: Fort Campbell, Kentucky Cause of Death: Beaten with Baseball bat Date of Death: July 5, 1999 Bella Martinez Location: Los Angeles, California Cause of Death: Shot Date of Death: August 28, 2004 Fred Martinez Location: Cortez, Colorado Cause of Death: Head smashed, cuts to body Date of Death: June 2001 Gwen Araujo Location: Newark, California Cause of Death: Strangled then buried Date of Death: October 3, 2002 Grayce “Candace” Baxter Location: Toronto, Ontario Cause of Death: Chocked & dismembered Date of Death: December 8, 1992

Started in 1999 as a candle light vigil after the murder of Started in 1999 as a candle light vigil after the murder of Rita Hester in 1998. What is the purpose of the Day of Remembrance? Who else is participating? Why are transgender people being killed? What can I do?

Transgender Violence Statistics Anti-transgender violence can take many forms some of which are: discrimination, physical assault, verbal assault, emotional abuse and even murder The exact numbers of anti-transgender violent acts are difficult to determine and may be represented as fewer incidents than there actually are. Violence may be directed not only to transgender individuals but also at anyone who is perceived to be transgender or crossing gender lines. Individuals who are associated with transgender people may themselves become the victims of anti-transgender violence. Statistics have been obtained from www.rememberingourdead.org

Transgender Murder Statistics More than 1 murder a month Since 1970 there have been 321 reported deaths Deadliest year to be reported was 2002 with 39 REPORTED deaths. Causes of Death Shot - 128 Stabbed - 70 Beaten - 49 Strangled - 22 Multiple/unknown - 67

REAL STORIES

Fernanda Covarrubias San Felipe, CHILE Killed: December 4th, 2002 Grayce “Candace” Baxter Toronto, CANADA December 8, 1992 Tyra Hunter Washington D.C., USA August 7th, 1995 Nikki Nicholas Michigan, USA February 21, 2003

Name unknown Cali, COLOMBIA March 6, 2003 Amanda Milan New York, USA June 18, 2000 James Jerome Mack January 21, 2001 Gwen Amber Rose Araujo California, USA October 4, 2002

THANK YOU Want to learn more: www.cupe.ca – Canadian Union of Public employees www.rememberingourdead.org – Remembering Our Dead www.glaad.org – Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation GLBTFriends@groups.msn.com – Q Collective UNBSJ www.glad.org – Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders THANK YOU