In 2024 there were no reported murders of a trans-identifying person due to anti-trans bias in the United States. This might be a surprise, based on the routine headlines declaring that violence against transgender Americans is only getting worse. The Human Rights Campaign, one of the more prominent LGBT advocacy organizations, provides a list each year of reported murders of trans-identifying people.
Discussing the death of Quanesha Shantel, Human Rights Campaign Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative Tori Cooper argued, “It’s time for communities across this country to reckon with the fact that their silence makes them complicit. Hateful stereotypes, rhetoric and legislation fuels violence against transgender people.” This despite Shantel, whose legal name was Juquan Hamilton, being allegedly murdered by his former romantic partner, Jeremy Reynolds, who reportedly was furious over their recent breakup.
On Nov. 20, 2024, President Joe Biden put out a statement saying, “Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we mourn the transgender Americans whose lives were taken this year in horrific acts of violence. There should be no place for hate in America — and yet too many transgender Americans, including young people, are cruelly targeted and face harassment simply for being themselves.”
This message was repeated by dozens of Democrats the same day. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., mourned, “Too many transgender people have been killed just for living as their true, authentic selves.” Jayapal, the co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus’ Transgender Equality Task Force, noted a supposed alarming rise in anti-trans violence due to intensifying rhetoric and legislation targeting the trans community. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, asserted, “No one should have to live their lives in fear simply for existing as they are.”
Looking at Each Case
Yet, when evaluating the data, despite the broader reported statistics listed by the HRC, the claims about anti-trans violence are not true.
Looking at each of 29 such reported cases in 2024, the three most common categories are domestic violence (6), altercations (6), and accidents (4). Of all cases, four did not have sufficient information reported by authorities to make a determination on what kind of violence occurred. The deaths also included a suicide, the highly publicized death of Dagny (Nex) Benedict, a victim of a mass shooting, and a random act of violence.
Kita Bee and Honee Daniels were both killed in what HRC calls “hit-and-run” accidents — they involved negligent behavior and both drivers have been arrested. Jazlynn Johnson, 18, was allegedly accidentally shot and killed by his friend, 17-year-old Cesar Sandoval, while showing off a new gun, according to reports.
Finally, Santonio Coleman, who identified as a gay man who sometimes dressed as a woman, was found dead on a park trail, but he may have fallen, and no suspects have been identified. The headline reporting Coleman’s death states, “Family shocked after loved one brutally killed while walking on popular trail in Athens,” despite no current indications from police investigating the incident that Coleman was attacked.
The “altercation” category of reports indicates a fight occurred in which a trans-identifying person was killed. A transgender man, Righteous TK Hill, was allegedly shot by his cousin, Jaylen Hill, in an argument. Robert Clark Jr., named as Yella Clark, was killed in a prison fight. Clark was serving life in prison for the murder of another inmate while he was serving a 75-year sentence for armed robbery.
A 20-year-old named Dylan Gurley was reportedly stabbed to death in a dispute over money while staying in an abandoned house with a fellow homeless person, Michael Tooley. Another trans-identifying person listed, known only as Redd or Barbie, was killed by an unknown assailant in a mass shooting on a street corner while talking with several other people. Another homeless person, Andrea Doria Dos Passos, was attacked while sleeping by another homeless person in what appears to be a random assault; police have not reported a motive. The suspect has been charged.
Interpersonal Violence’s Role
LGBT activists are aware that most murders of trans-identifying people involve domestic violence. The HRC reports, “Tragically, interpersonal violence accounts for a significant number of fatalities against transgender and gender expansive people.” Yet they insist on blaming hate and bigotry for these deaths. The HRC states, “In all cases, it remains clear that the intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia conspire to place the trans community at risk of fatal violence.”
Despite 82 percent of known suspects in the deaths of black trans-identifying individuals being black themselves, based on an evaluation of the reported cases, the HRC demands, “Young trans women of color — particularly Black trans women, continue to be disproportionately affected.”
Year after year, these reports end up the same. Domestic violence, interpersonal fights, random violence, and, more frequently, complete accidents, make up the majority of reported deaths of trans-identified people. Hate crimes do occur — they are simply very rare, upon review of reported cases.
Unfortunately, the constant repetition of this false narrative, always using alarming language and insisting on placing the blame politically, creates an environment of fear and hatred in the LGBT community. It sends a message that transgender identity is a privileged status that demands special protections from the government and the public. When every reported violent death of a trans-identifying person is elevated as a social failure requiring national mourning and outrage, the impact of real hate crimes is diminished.
No, a death is not more tragic because the person who died identified as transgender in some way. The media have a responsibility to report on these incidents honestly. Yet, without fail, article after article connects one trans-identifying person’s death with others’, with a quote from an LGBTQ advocacy group demanding justice, creating the illusion of a larger problem. It’s intentional and it must continue to be called out.
With more than a decade of evidence, data, and research, it is very clear there is no “epidemic of violence” against transgender people and LGBT activists know it. They simply choose to keep lying about it for political gain.