Friday, August 05, 2011

Another Transwoman Killed-This Time In Harlem

Harlem is the legendary and historic heart of New York City for African Americans, but unfortunately it is also the place where Camila Guzman died.

Camila was found brutally murdered in her Harlem apartment on August 1 and as you probably guessed, the tabloids and the news media there are exhibiting their usual sterling journalism in reporting this story.

"Camila's friends and the transgender community overall are not happy with her portrayal in the news. As transgender people, we feel alone and like we're invisible targets for violence," said Ruby Teresa Chavez, friend of Camila Guzman. "We deserve respect and increased advocacy around the prevention of anti-transgender violence."

This comes in the wake of Lashai Mclean's murder in Washington D.C., and literally a day after someone attempted to shoot another DC African-American transwoman a block from the same area where Lashai was killed but fortunately missed.

I'm also troubled by the news that a longtime radfem hater of this community, Cathy Brennan along with Elizabeth Hungerford submitted a paper to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women that advocates denial of basic civil rights coverage to transwomen.

But back to Camila's story.


"We are saddened and troubled by the death of another member of our community," said Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. "This horrible murder further underscores the violence transgender people, and particularly transgender women of color, face in their daily lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with Camila Guzman's family and friends."

Indeed they are.



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