‘Epidemic’ of trans murders shows no signs of ceasing in 2021 as Dominique Jackson is killed at gunpoint
Dominique Jackson. (Facebook)
Dominique Jackson, a Black trans woman, was murdered Monday night (25 January), making her the third known trans person to be killed in the US in 2021.
The 30-year-old was shot dead in Jackson, Mississippi, activists said. She was, according to her social media profile, the Mother of the Hause of Redd and founder of The Ladi Redd Inc.
After her family reported her missing – she had not been seen for three days since 24 January – she was found fighting for her life in a crashed car and later died at the scene.
Jackson, from Detroit, Michigan, was shot at around 9:30pm on Rose Street at Grand Avenue, causing her vehicle to strike a utility pole, investigators said.
But her loved ones’ grief was only compounded when news of her death was plagued by the press and police deadnaming and misgendering her.
Dominique Jackson remembered as ‘important and valued member of her community’
This is all too common, the Human Rights Campaign, one of the top LGBT+ advocacy groups in the US, said in a statement.
Jackson is, according to the organisation’s records, at least the third trans or gender non-conforming person to be violently killed this year in the States. Fuelling fears that the American Medical Association’s warning in 2019 that there is an “epidemic of violence” against trans Americans may show no signs of abating.
It’s a chilling turn of events only one month into the new year, plunging activists into unease after 2020 saw 44 trans folk slain – more than any year since the HRC’s records began.
“Dominique was an important and valued member of her community, where she will be greatly missed,” said Tori Cooper, HRC director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.
“In just one month, we have already recorded multiple deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the US. This is unacceptable.
“We need everyone in the LGBT+ community and our allies to speak out against this violence and take action to stop it.
“We will continue fighting for justice for all trans and gender non-conforming people.”
