TAKING ACTION
01 PRIORITIZING SAFETY + SECURITY
We must prioritize ending the epidemic of violence plaguing TWOC as a central goal of the LGBTQ+ community and movement. This means politicians and organizations who consider themselves “LGBTQ+ friendly” or “allies” must be made aware of the very severe circumstances facing TWOC, and Pride campaigns that include donations must prioritize organizations that do work specifically to help our community.
02 DEFINING VIOLENCE
We must accept a holistic scope of violence for TWOC that includes domestic, intimate partner, and state violence. So often, when a TWOC experiences violence in state custody (whether in prisons or detention centers), would-be allies resist holding these systems accountable and don’t consider these instances as carrying the same level of importance as interpersonal conflicts.
03 MEDIA COMPETENCY
We must accurately report on victims’ identities and the circumstances surrounding their instance of violence, and media accountability when these things are wrong. Often, trans victims face essentialist notions about their genitalia, and/or biased reporting on the activities, behavior, or criminal record. In some stories, these are all factors that journalists attribute to their untimely death.
“One of the reasons that I started [reporting on our] trans siblings being murdered was because I was tired of the poor reporting on it,” says Monica Roberts, who
