As much as I love being apart of the black community, I’ve noticed that we aren’t where we need to be when it comes to LGBT issues, especially transphobia. Just earlier this month, a black trans woman named Goddess Diamond was brutally murdered, her body found in a torched car. Diamond’s fate is an unacceptably common one; she is the 14th trans person killed this year.
2015’s statistics are even more grim. According to the Human Right’s Campaign, a whopping 21 trans lives were cut short, most of which belonged to women of color. The highest in U.S. history, this number is a reflection of how society is failing trans people, specifically those who are African-American. Although I’m not a mouthpiece for my race, I feel compelled to address the rampant prejudice towards our trans brothers and sisters.
The black community is steeped in tradition and religion. While these can create a sense of solidarity and strength, they may also be the fuel that makes feeds transphobia. Of course there’s nothing inherently wrong with being religious. However, using religion to justify the oppression of an already vulnerable group is, quite frankly, repugnant. Some may view it as a sin,or a rejection of God’s intended plan. Whatever their arguments may be, I challenge them to remember that their beliefs shouldn’t affect anyone else’s life, no matter how personally opposed to it they may be. For instance, if I’m totally against the idea of prayer, I wouldn’t prevent other people doing it or try to stem the joy they get from giving praise. I just wouldn’t partake. More importantly religion often preaches love, and by scorning your kin are you not sinning yourself?
Others might try to bring up custom, saying that they were raised to believe in the gender binary. This is no justification, since the whole of society is conditioned to think that one is born the right sex. Still, it’s is up to the individual to remove the shackles of this dangerous ideology. We should be mindful that many are spoonfed racist ideas, yet we rightfully expect them to shirk these beliefs. Similarly just because one was brought up to see transgender people a certain way should not translate into bigotry.
Finally, black culture itself features some pretty unhealthy ideas about gender, specifically hypermasculinity. Black men are often taught to prize and protect their manhood at all costs. Failure to do so results in social rejection or harassment, with some being labeled as gay. Of course, homophobia leads people to view this as bad, and anyone who identifies as such is cast in a negative light. Therefore if a black man is attracted to a trans woman, it’s assumed he’s gay. The man in question might feel he’s been “tricked” by the trans woman, and ends up beating or killing her in an act of retribution. Even one woman killed by such violence is far too many, and seeing the endemic number of deaths attributed to such barbarity should be a wakeup call to black Americans.
Growing up, I was taught to look out for my family, no matter who they might be, and I advise the black community to do the same. Regardless of one’s personal attitudes, spitting on someone because of their gender expression or identity is extremely shameful. Until black trans women stop being murdered for daring to be themselves, we need to take a long, hard look at ourselves. Blackness comes in all forms, and by degrading those within our community, we do nothing but hold knives up to our own flesh and blood.
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