Every day millions of transgender people in all regions of the world experience rejection, stigmatization, harassment and physical violence for the sole reason of not conforming to the prevailing gender norms. According to the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project, which monitors, collects and analyses reports of homicides of trans people worldwide, there have been a total of 1,612 reported killings of trans people in 62 countries worldwide from January 2008 to October 2014. The highest numbers have been found in Brazil (644) and Mexico (177) in Central and South America, the USA (100) in North America, Turkey (37) and Italy (27) in Europe, and India (37) and the Philippines (32) in Asia. Sadly, this year there were 226 trans persons added to the list to be remembered, mourned and honored.
UCLA's Williams Institute estimates there are 700,000 transgender people in the United States. But according to a GLAAD/Harris Interactive poll, only 8% of Americans say they personally know someone who is transgender. A recent Pew poll shows that 87% of Americans say they personally know someone who is lesbian, gay, or bisexual. If a stereotypical or defamatory LGB image appears in the media, viewers can compare it to real people they know. But when a stereotypical or defamatory transgender image appears in the media, the viewer may assume that all transgender people are actually like that; they have no real-life experience with which to compare it. GLAAD has created resources to assist the media in telling fair, accurate, and inclusive stories of transgender people and the issues they face.
In only 12 days thousands of advocates and LGBT allies form around the world will celebrate the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in an attempt to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBT people internationally. As part of GLAAD's Global Voices program, which works to accelerate LGBT acceptance across the globe, GLAAD will participate and celebrate IDAHOT together with thousands of diverse groups and individuals. As IDAHOT 2015 approaches, we give you 17 reasons, one every day, why May 17 matters. We invite you to create and share your own, via the hashtag #May17Because and amplify the voice for LGBT equality.
#May17Because over 1,500 people have been killed in transphobic hate crimes in the last 6 years worldwide.