The
actress has declared a “state of emergency”, due to the increasing death of
rate of trans women in America.
Seventeen
trans women are known to have been murdered in the United States this year
alone – fifteen of whom were trans women of colour – leading activists to
describe the situation as “an epidemic of anti-trans violence”.
Speaking
to Good Morning America, the Orange Is The New Black actress said: “We in the
transgender community right now are reeling.”
Voicing
her concern over the growing number of trans related crimes, she declared: “It
really is a state of emergency.
“Your
life should not be in danger simply for being who you are,” she added.
“I think the reasons why trans women
experience so much violence has to do with employment, housing, health care
etc., so we need to make sure that trans lives matter,” she added
President Barack Obama has promised to put
race-related murders and hate crimes at the forefront of his agenda and the leader has
also been urged to investigate the worrying increase in trans-related killings.
Three trans women were reportedly
murdered last week alone – bringing the total number of those
killed in the US this year to 16 so far – though as there is little official
monitoring, this may be a low estimate.
As the issue attracts attention for the first
time – with Caitlyn Jenner giving over her blog earlier this week to talk about
“the number of murders of transgender women of colour” – Barack Obama has been
urged to act.
An official White
House petition says: “Since January 9, 2015, [now sixteen]
transgender women, mostly women of colour, have lost their lives due to hate
and transphobia.
“Eight of these beautiful lives were lost in
the first two months of the year.
“With such a high death toll, something must
be done to raise awareness and end the senseless killings of a targeted,
vulnerable community.”
Police officers found Tamara Dominguez, 32,
lying unconscious in a car park during the early hours of Saturday morning
(August 15).
An eyewitness told
officers that Ms Dominguez – who lived in Kansas – had gotten out of a black
SUV that then intentionally ran her over – before reversing over her and and
running over her a second time.
Ms Dominguez was rushed to hospital in
critical condition – but sadly passed away on Monday (August 17).
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