After we learned about three trans women, all of them Black, being murdered in July, the number of trans people reported murdered in the US this year became 17, now with Tijerina, it's 18.
It’s been a devastating summer — and year — for headlines like this one.Â
Erykah Tijerina, a 36-year-old Latina transgender woman, was found murdered in an apartment in El Paso on Monday. She becomes the 18th trans person reported murdered in the United States this year. Three Black trans women were murdered in the month of July alone.Â
Mey Rude writes for Autostraddle:
Remember, last year, when we were shocked, terrified and disgusted at how many trans women were being murdered, we saw at least 21 reported murders of trans people. That’s just three more than we already have this year and we still have four months left. Again this year, most of the victims are trans women, most of them are Black, and most of them are Black trans women or other trans women of color who sleep with men.Â
This is just in the United States. In other countries trans women and other trans people are murdered at even higher rates. In Brazil alone, at least 48 trans women were murdered just in January of this year. And I emphasize “at least” because the real number is likely much higher. How are trans women of color supposed to survive this? How are we supposed to function in a society that keeps on targeting, torturing and murdering us? How are we supposed to make it out alive?
Erykah’s family has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for her funeral costs here. Please help if you can. Rest in peace and power.
