Transphobia & CT Hate Crime Legislation

Transphobic Hate Crimes...

Transgender people are targets of the most vicious and blatant forms of violence. They are routinely abused by the police and medical professionals, in addition to being subjected to random street violence and domestic partner abuse. Abusers, often appalled to discover the gender transgression, can verbally, psychologically, physically and sexually abuse the person.

Statistical data for violence towards the transgender population is still in its infancy and well documented to be underreported. To quote Roger Coggan, LA’s Director of Legal Services and Public Policy - "Crimes against transgender people continue to be underreported. We’ve done targeted outreach to the transgender community, which has resulted in a doubling of the number of reported hate crimes, but we know that's just the tip of the iceberg. Many transgender people are still afraid they are going to be re-victimized by law enforcement and service providers. We need to send the message that the transgender community is part of our community." The following are two of many examples of such victimization by service providers:

Transphobia, like racist violence, allows us to falsely identify the victims of violence as the provocateurs of violence. As Dallas Denny (1992) says, "Despite the fact that they are much more often victims of violence than they are perpetrators, transgendered persons are frequently portrayed in the media as psychotics and criminals." Given victimization of transgender people by the police and service provides this is particularly ironic.

As the ADL notes: "Hate crimes demand a heightened response because of the targeted emotional and psychological impact on the victim and the victim's community. The damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. Hate crimes may effectively intimidate other members of the victim's community, leaving them feeling isolated, vulnerable and unprotected by the law. By making members of minority communities fearful, angry and suspicious of other groups -- and of the power structure that is supposed to protect them -- these incidents can damage the fabric of our society and fragment communities."

View GPAC's National Survey of Transgender Violence [PDF]

View GPAC'S Survey Summary [PDF]

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Transphobia is NOT Homophobia...

Many times society conflates Homophobia with Transphobia, however they are distinctly different. Homophobia is an irrational fear of gays, lesbians and bisexuals based upon their sexual orientation. However, Transphobia results from a fear of ones Transgressing the societal Gender binaries of Masculine and Feminine [TransGender]. Transgender is independent of sexual orientation for many TransGender individuals are heterosexual. Yet they face routine harassment and discrimination solely because of their cross-gender behavior. Unlike Gays and Lesbians, TransGender people, due to their cross-gender behavior, are highly visible and therefore much more prone to a bias motivated hate crime. Additionally, many presumed Homophobic based hate crimes are actually Transphobic based. People have been beaten or even killed because perpetrator's) viewed their gender expression to be "inappropriate." In Tennessee, Willie Houston was killed because he was seen carrying his fiancé's purse and assisting a blind friend to the restroom. Aaron Yays, a 12 year old boy stopped attending school in New York because of physical attacks in two different schools because he is a male figure skater. In Arizona, Justin Enos, a Native American man was buried alive for "dancing like a girl."

Every 21 Days...

Statistically in the United States, every 21 Days a person will be murdered due to Anti-Transgender Hate, Violence and Prejudice. These murders typically go unsolved, under-reported, un-investigated and plea bargained if they ever do make it to court.

On May 9th 2003, a Connecticut TransWoman was brutally murdered in her New Haven apartment. Her throat was slashed twice and her body burnt. To this day, this murder is still not solved nor has it been classified as a Hate Crime, even though the woman was a known Transsexual and brutally murdered.

There were 18 other similar murders in the United States against TransWoman and most everyone was violent in its nature. Unfortunately, many are against our youth and remain unsolved.

The following is an excerpt from a TransActivist – Ethan St. Pierre in Massachusetts whose aunt [Debra Forte] was brutally murdered: “There have been 7 murders of Trans-folk in the state of Massachusetts. Out of those 7 only 2 have been solved and both the killers turned themselves in. Chanelle Pickett was murdered on November 20, 1995. Her killer got 2 years in prison. My aunt’s killer [Debra Forte, ED] got 15 yrs after he plea bargained with the district attorney. My family did not have a say in the matter. The DA’s office did not think a jury would be sympathetic to my aunt's "life style" so they did not want to take it to trial. That same year Chanelle Pickett's killer went to trial and when he was convicted of assault and battery and received a 2 year sentence, the DAs office called my Mom to say, "see, I told you so." If you want to talk about anger, I have plenty to talk about but it seems like I have no ears to tell it to.”