Sunday 9 August 2015

Amber Monroe Found Murdered, Becomes 12th Trans Woman Killed in US This Year


Reports have just become to come in this morning that twenty year old Amber Monroe has been found shot and killed in Detroit.  Amber was a black transgender woman, making her the 12th trans woman to be killed in the US this year alone.

Her death was reported by Equality Michigan;

'The body of 20-year old Amber Monroe was found murdered in Detroit this morning. Early reports claim that she was shot, but information is still developing and no details have been released by the Detroit Police Department.
Amber was a black transgender woman barely 20 years old who studied at Wayne State University, and loved her friends and Vogueing.
“Our hearts are heavy with grief that we have lost another vibrant member of our community too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Amber’s family and friends whom she clearly loved deeply,” said Yvonne Siferd, Director of Victim Services for Equality Michigan.
“We have no idea yet whether this attack was fuelled by transphobia, but we do know that Amber’s murder is the 12th murder of a transgender woman in the United States this year, and the 10th murder of a transgender woman of colour. Transgender women, and especially transgender women of colour, are disproportionately affected by violence.
Her life was just beginning; I know that this loss will leave so many people with a hole in their lives and with more questions than answers. Let’s come together to celebrate her life, and work for real change so that our transgender sisters can be free from persecution. I know we can do better. We have to do better.'

Amber is the latest in an ever expanding series of victims of transphobic abuse and murder.  The 12th trans woman killed in the United States since the beginning of 2015 she is also one of dozens of women killed globally.  
Despite people's views that things are getting better for trans women, that we have more media representation, that our rights are increasing, the harsh truth of the matter is the number of trans people, especially trans women of colour, that are being brutally murdered simply for being transgender is not slowing down, if anything it is increasing.  
Amber was a beautiful young woman, barely twenty years old, with her entire life ahead of her, yet she had that life cut short.  I say this to myself every time I see one of these reports, every time I write that we've lost another of our beautiful sisters, but please let this be the last one.  Please stop killing us.
#HerNameWasAmber
Amy.
xx

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