Students Protest Transgender Deaths

Members and supporters of the Harvard queer community gathered last night to draw chalk body outlines on footpaths in the Yards, symbolizing transgendered people slain in hate crimes.

About ten people gathered to participate in the event, which came in the wake of the Nov. 28 murder of Rita (originally William) Hester, a transgendered man to woman, stabbed over 20 times in her Allston apartment.

Next to the chalk outlines (which number about 40), flyers were taped to the ground with the names of Deborah Forte, Rita Hester, Tyra Hunter, Brandon Teena, Rufus Turner, Kristen Page and Chanelle Picket. Each were "trans-people" killed in recent crimes of hate.

Under the name of the individual killed, the flyers read, "Remembered because of (his/her) gender identity. TransLiberation NOW."

Anna M. Baldwin '00, who borrowed the idea of chalk outlines from the group 'Transexual Menace', an international transgender advocacy group, said she organized the event to give more attention to crimes that go unnoticed by the media.

"I think that hate crimes against transgendered people have been generally ignored by the press," Baldwin said. "I felt that Rita Hester's murder was also given less attention because not only was she transgendered, she was also African-American and working class, and those biases also come into play."

Ari M. Lipman '00, who helped draw outlines and tape flyers last night, said the media attention given to Hester paled in contrast to Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was murdered in October.

"The parallel that comes to mind is the huge public outcry after Matthew Shepard's death versus the virtual silence after Rita Hester's equally brutal murder," he said.

Nikki L. DeBlosi '99, co-chair of the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA), said that although her organization did not sponsor last night's event, it advocates for the transgendered.

"I want to reassert that the BGLTSA thinks it's definitely important to speak against violence and prejudice against transgendered people, because they are definitely part of the queer community," she said.

Both DeBlosi and Baldwin said that some people have used Hester's occupation to justify her murder.

"She was a sex worker, which some people think invited her killing, because of prejudice against sex workers," Baldwin said.

BGLTSA is tabling outside the Science Center today to raise awareness of Hester's murder

Nikki L. DeBlosi '99, co-chair of the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA), said that although her organization did not sponsor last night's event, it advocates for the transgendered.

"I want to reassert that the BGLTSA thinks it's definitely important to speak against violence and prejudice against transgendered people, because they are definitely part of the queer community," she said.

Both DeBlosi and Baldwin said that some people have used Hester's occupation to justify her murder.

"She was a sex worker, which some people think invited her killing, because of prejudice against sex workers," Baldwin said.

BGLTSA is tabling outside the Science Center today to raise awareness of Hester's murder