Acknowledge Transgender Murders as Hate Crimes Nationwide

Target: United States President Joe Biden

Goal: Recognize crimes committed due to sexual orientation and gender identity as hate crimes.

Nearly thirty trans people in the U.S., mostly trans women of color, have been murdered this year alone. The motivation: their gender. That number does not include cases unreported or covered up. It is imperative to protect LGBTQ+ people from further violence and death.

Currently, thirteen states do not consider crimes perpetrated due to sexual orientation or gender identity hate crimes. This results in perpetrators going unpenalized while victims never receive justice. Most gender-based crimes are committed by either someone the victim knows or someone the victim was intimate with. The basis of these crimes lies solely in trans people’s sex and sexuality. Legally recognizing this means that trans people have more protection and offenders can be appropriately criminalized. There are twenty-two states that include sexual and gender identity in hate crime charges, yet this is not enough. As trans people already face heavy discrimination, danger, and exclusion in the United States, legislation must change to defend the lives and rights of trans people.

Michigan, one of the thirteen states that do not account for victims’ identity in hate crime laws, attempted to modify hate crime inclusion clauses, but the new policy did not pass. That is why a federal acknowledgment is necessary. Sign below and demand that all states rightfully address trans murders as a hate crime based on their gender.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear President Joe Biden,

Upon your election, you claimed to fight and defend trans rights, however, little has been done to actually protect trans people. With nearly thirty trans people murdered due to their identity, including gender and sexual orientation in hate crime charges is long overdue. Only twenty-two states do this, and it needs to be recognized federally. Charging perpetrators to the fullest, truest extent can help prevent these violent murders from happening.

It is not anyone’s choice to be trans, but someone attacking a person because of their identity is a choice. Trans voices need to be heard and trans lives cannot continue to go unprotected. Acknowledge these hate crimes on a federal level and prevent the discrimination trans people face.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: Pastajosh


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1045 Signatures

  • Rebecca Martin
  • Emilia Bradley
  • Jocelyne Behr
  • Laura A Parker
  • Katie Richards
  • Kristin Lewis
  • Johanna Rantala
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