Last night, family and friends gathered in Philadelphia's Love Park to hold a vigil in honor of Diamond Williams, a trans woman of color who was brutally murdered and dismembered last week in an act of transphobic violence.
Among those who spoke at the vigil were Aamina Morrison, Co-director of the Trans-Health Information Program (TIP), Gloria Casarez, the Director of LGBT Affairs at the Mayor's Office, and Ms. Williams' sister Rachel Rose. Speakers called for the end of anti-trans hate crimes, as well as the need for accurate and culturally-competent media coverage of transgender issues.
Various media organizations have also responded to Diamond Williams' death in print, video, and other outlets. GLAAD corrected initial reporting that was extremely problematic, citing irrelevant information and using incorrect pronouns and language to refer to Diamond Williams.
According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), "58.8% of the anti-LGBTQ homicide victims in 2012 were transgender women…73.1% of all anti-LGBTQ homicide victims in 2012 were people of color."
GLAAD stands firm in its belief that violence against LGBT individuals, particularly the persistent violence targeting transgender women of color, must come to an end. The mainstream media must hold itself to higher journalistic standards regarding transgender news coverage. If you see defamatory or dehumanizing news coverage, please report it to GLAAD as soon as possible.