The first large-scale clinical trial of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention began today. The study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, will examine whether a long-acting form of the investigational anti-HIV drug cabotegravir injected once every 8 weeks can safely protect men and transgender women from HIV infection at least as well as the anti-HIV medication Truvada taken daily as an oral tablet. If injectable cabotegravir is found to be effective for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, it may be easier for some people to adhere to than daily oral Truvada, the only licensed PrEP regimen. Truvada consists of the two anti-HIV drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
“We urgently need more HIV prevention tools that fit easily into people’s lives,” said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH. “Although daily oral Truvada clearly works for HIV prevention, taking a daily pill while feeling healthy can be difficult for some people. If proven effective, injectable cabotegravir has the potential to become an acceptable, discreet and convenient alternative for HIV prevention.”
NIAID is collaborating on the Phase 3 clinical trial of injectable cabotegravir with ViiV Healthcare, Gilead Sciences, Inc., and the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN). In a novel funding structure for an NIH HIV prevention study, NIAID and ViiV Healthcare are co-funding the trial. NIAID is sponsoring the study, called HPTN 083, and ViiV Healthcare and Gilead Sciences are providing the study medications.
The study will enroll 4,500 men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men at 45 sites in eight countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Participants will be aged 18 years or older and at high risk for HIV infection. Results are expected in 2021.
“The annual number of new HIV infections among young people, especially young men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men, has been on the rise despite nearly flat HIV incidence among adults worldwide,” said HPTN 083 Protocol Chair Raphael J. Landovitz, M.D., M.Sc. “It is essential to develop multiple effective HIV prevention modalities so the most vulnerable populations have a choice of preventive options. We hope injectable cabotegravir will become one such modality.” Dr. Landovitz is an associate professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, and associate director of the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research & Education.
HPTN 083 study participants will be randomly assigned to either the cabotegravir group or the Truvada group. Neither the participants nor the study team will know who is in which group until the end of the trial.
Participants will be in the study for an average of 4.5 years. During their first five weeks after enrollment, they will receive two daily oral tablets: either cabotegravir or Truvada, and a placebo pill. Beginning in the sixth week, participants in the cabotegravir group will receive injections of cabotegravir and placebo tablets to be taken orally daily, while participants in the Truvada group will receive placebo injections and Truvada tablets to be taken orally daily. Injections will be administered by study staff. The first two injections will be four weeks apart, then once every 8 weeks for an average of nearly 3.5 years. After completing the injections, all participants will be offered 48 weeks of PrEP with daily oral Truvada.
HPTN 083 study participants will receive HIV prevention counseling, condoms and lubricant, as well as counseling to encourage and support adherence to the daily oral pill. Participants will be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) throughout the study and referred for appropriate treatment if an STI is diagnosed. Study participants who become HIV-infected during the trial will stop receiving the study products and be referred to local medical providers for HIV care and treatment.
“The HPTN 083 study has the potential to provide game changing data as the first large-scale test of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention,” said Protocol Co-Chair Beatriz Grinsztejn, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Grinsztejn directs the Instituto de Pesquisa Clinica Evandro Chagas HIV/AIDS Clinical Research Centre of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-Fiocruz in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A related study called HPTN 084 will test the safety and efficacy of injectable cabotegravir for HIV prevention in young women in sub-Saharan Africa beginning in 2017.
PrEP stands for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, protection before exposure to HIV. It’s a once a day pill called Truvada for people who are HIV negative to protect them from getting HIV. PrEP was approved by the FDA in 2012, and by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control for use in HIV prevention.
I recently attended the National PrEP Summit with other HIV prevention professionals from around the country. The two-part take away for me could not have been any clearer: PrEP works, and there are so many more people who should be using it. Throughout the country, PrEP is disproportionally underutilized by women, African Americans, and Latinos. There are many challenges in getting the word out about PrEP, especially in these populations.
I have said before, if you had told us in the 1980s and 90s that there was a pill that could have prevented HIV, people would have been falling all over each other to get it. So, why not now? Although a growing number of people are beginning to use PrEP as part of their personal HIV prevention strategy, it has not taken off as quickly as one would think. There are a variety of reasons for this, the first clinical trials showed that PrEP was only 44% effective, not all that exciting. However, when they dug deeper into the data it showed to be up to 99% effective for those in the study who actually took the medicine every day as prescribed. Now we’re talking!
Many people, especially in certain populations have still not heard of PrEP, or have not heard how effective it is in preventing HIV. There has also been some stigma related to taking PrEP (similar to birth control when it first came out in the 60s). Early PrEP users were often referred to as “Truvada Whores”. Fortunately, this has begun to wane in the Gay community, where it is now being viewed as a positive thing that a potential sexual partner has been protecting themselves from HIV. Other barriers in getting people on the PrEP bandwagon include the high cost, and medical providers who are not comfortable prescribing it.
While PrEP is very expensive, $1,300 a month, it’s covered by most health plans including Medi-Cal. There are also patient assistance programs that can help with co-payments. Although many non-HIV specific doctors are not knowledgeable, and therefore uncomfortable, prescribing PrEP (or even talking to their patient about sex), we are fortunate here in Sonoma County to have several local health centers that are eager to talk to their patients about starting PrEP. California just passed a law requiring HIV test counselors to tell every person who tests negative about PrEP.
Face to Face does the majority of HIV testing in the county. We’ve been handing out PrEP brochures, and referring people to PrEP providers for quite a while. We are strong advocates for using every tool out there to end HIV transmissions in Sonoma County, and believe PrEP is our most powerful prevention tool yet. Each time we deliver the news that someone is HIV positive, I wonder if this person had heard of PrEP, considered it, thought they didn’t need it, or couldn’t afford it. A person does not need to be at high risk for getting HIV, they just have to be at risk.
The PrEP vs condoms controversy: Can’t people just use condoms? Sure, and many people do and feel comfortable with that level of protection. However, condoms don’t work at all if they’re left in the bedside drawer, just like PrEP doesn’t work if you don’t take it. Many people have a hard time (pun intended) with condoms, and therefore don’t use them regularly. Most see PrEP as an extra layer of protection and use them in conjunction with condoms. Some choose to use PrEP only, and do not use condoms. Yes, public health folks are concerned about increases in other sexually transmitted diseases. And, while there is currently a significant spike in Chlamydia, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea in California and in Sonoma County, it has not been shown that PrEP is to blame. And remember, these sexually transmitted infections are all curable, whereas there is still no cure for HIV.
So, PrEP is effective. There has been only one known case of someone contracting HIV while on PrEP, owing to a rare Truvada-resistant strain of HIV.
And, PrEP is safe. Most people experience no side effects and those who do say they are mild and last less than a month.
And, PrEP is available locally, and in most cases, affordable.
The enthusiasm and hope of ending HIV at the National PrEP Summit got me thinking about myself. I’m a single Gay man. I’m 62, and not quite as “popular” as I was in my 20’s, but couldn’t I use another layer of protection? Why not take PrEP myself? I called my doctor, got labs done to make sure I’m HIV negative, a full STD screening, checked my kidney function and bone density (all good tests I haven’t had in a long time), and now I’m ready to start my once a day pill. Who knows, maybe I’ll become more “popular” because of it, lol.
If you, or someone you know is curious about PrEP, come in and talk to one of our HIV Test Counselors. Get more information, have your questions answered, and if you’re ready, get a referral to a local provider. Test Counselors are available on a drop-in basis, Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Face to Face office at 873 Second Street, Santa Rosa.
In the most comprehensive investigation of transgender-related homicide to date, Mic Thursday released “Unerased: Counting Transgender Lives,” a project looking at trans murder in America.
Working in collaboration with transgender advocacy organizations, activists, academics and victims’ loved ones and families, a team of reporters at Mic has launched an interactive database of transgender homicides from 2010 to the present. Intended as a resource for activists, journalists and academics, the database contains a wealth of demographic data about each victim, including biographies and multimedia. In an effort to elevate the stories of marginalized populations, Mic will continue to track transgender homicides in the future.
Alongside the database, Mic also has published an investigation by transgender journalist and advocate Meredith Talusan, complete with data visualizations detailing the results.
Among Mic’s key findings:
With 23 documented cases so far, 2016 has seen one of the the highest number of transgender homicides since advocacy organizations began tracking them officially in 2010.
Black transgender women face the highest rates of violence: 72% of transgender victims between 2010 to 2016 are black trans women.
Young black trans women (ages 15 to 34) are estimated to be between 8 and 39 times more likely to be murdered as young cisgender women.
Of the 25 cases that were tried, five involved black trans women as victims and resulted in lesser charges of manslaughter or assault. Only one case with a black trans woman victim has resulted in a first-degree conviction since 2010.
Mic found that, because public institutions are not equipped to acknowledge the existence of transgender Americans, the identities of transgender victims are often effaced after death. Many trans people can’t spare the expense of having their names and gender markers updated on government documents. Law enforcement and coroner’s offices are not trained to identify crime victims as transgender. Immediate family members who reject a trans person’s identity often withhold it from authorities, who defer to the family when it comes to revealing personal information. The U.S. Census does not track transgender people, and while the FBI added gender identity as a category in its annual self-reported hate crimes report in 2014, the agency does not track gender identity along with its homicide statistics.
“In reporting this story and speaking with family members of transgender homicide victims, we focused on bringing light to the systematic failures impacting trans people, especially trans women of color,” said Meredith Talusan, lead reporter on the Mic project. “If everyone in the U.S. were murdered at the rate young black trans women and femmes are, there’s no doubt that the public would consider this a crisis of massive proportions.”
Devin Diamond, a black, transgender woman who was killed in New Orleans, Louisiana, in June, would not have been listed among transgender homicide victims if it were not for a friend who happened to post about her using female pronouns on Facebook, where a local reporter came upon the post. Law enforcement, the coroner’s office and her family all classified her as male even though she routinely presented herself as a woman both in person and online, telling friends that she was on hormones and was seeing a psychologist.
“’Unerased’ offers a close, sometimes intimate look at the violence too regularly faced by one of our most vulnerable populations,” said Kerry Lauerman, executive news director at Mic. “It’s the sort of in-depth, revelatory project we’re dedicated to pursuing more of in the future.”
“Unerased” was reported with the assistance of the New York City Anti-Violence Project. To view the report please visit: https://mic.com/unerased.
The nation’s major companies and law firms are advancing in record numbers vital policies and practices to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workers around the world, according to the 2017 Corporate Equality Index released today by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization.
The Corporate Equality Index (CEI), launched in 2002 to assess LGBT-inclusive policies and practices at Fortune 500 companies, also highlights how corporate leaders are increasingly stepping up to play a leading role in opposing anti-equality legislation — from statehouses to the U.S. Capitol. Through their actions, taken as LGBTQ workers and customers have been facing a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures across the country, business leaders are building on their longstanding commitment to expanding workplace equality for LGBTQ people.
This year, a record-breaking 517 businesses earned the CEI’s top score of 100, up from 407 last year. That’s a single-year increase of more than 25 percent — the largest jump in the 15-year history of the nation’s premiere benchmarking tool for LGBT workplace equality. Leadership demonstrated by these businesses, including speaking out against discriminatory laws like North Carolina’s HB2, reflect more than a decade of work inside these companies to expand LGBT, and particularly transgender, workplace equality.
“Even in the face of relentless attempts to undermine equality, America’s leading companies and law firms remain steadfast and committed to supporting and defending the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The unprecedented expansion of inclusive workplaces across the country and around the globe not only reflects our progress, it helps drive it. As we enter a new chapter in our fight for equality, support from the business community will be more critical than ever to protect our historic advancements over the last decade and to continue to push equality forward for workers, customers, and families around the world.”
Over the last several years, CEI-rated companies have dramatically expanded their support for transgender workers. When the CEI launched, just three percent of Fortune 500 companies had non-discrimination protections that included gender identity. Today, that number is 82 percent. In a historic display of support for transgender equality, 68 companies joined HRC to file an amicus brief earlier this year supporting the U.S. Department of Justice’s effort to block some of the most egregious anti-transgender aspects of North Carolina’s HB2 law. And more than 200 business leaders signed on to an open letter urging North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and the state’s General Assembly to repeal the harmful law.
The record number of companies earning a score of 100 in the most rigorous evaluation in the history of the CEI, reflects their commitment to sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination protections — at home and around the world — as well as to adopting LGBT-inclusive practices and benefits such as establishing employee resource groups and offering trans-inclusive health benefits.
“Through 15 editions of the annual Corporate Equality Index, major private sector employers have demonstrated over and over that inclusion is not just the right thing to do, it makes for a stronger, more successful business,” said Deena Fidas, Director of HRC’s Workplace Equality Program. “From centuries-old companies to those that have existed for just a few years, major employers have adopted LGBT-inclusive policies and benefits at rates that continue to outpace lawmakers and lead the way forward.”
Last year, the CEI for the first time expanded its benchmarks for inclusion to include global policies, recognizing the worldwide impact of many Fortune 500 companies. The community has responded, and this year 92% of CEI-rated companies include both sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination protections that apply to workers domestically and internationally.
This fall HRC Equidad MX: Global Workplace Equality Program was launched: it is a formal program with partners on the ground to grow the number of Mexican and Latin American businesses adopting LGBT-inclusive policies and practices. A CEI launch event will be held later today at The Dow Chemical Company in Mexico City. In addition to The Dow Chemical Company, HRC Equidad MX staff will be joined by leaders from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, J.P. Morgan Chase, and PEMEX, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company to celebrate and mark the importance of full LGBT inclusion in their respective organizations.
The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under five broad categories:
Non-discrimination policies
Employment benefits
Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBT diversity and inclusion
Public commitment to LGBT equality
Responsible citizenship
This year 887 companies and firms were officially rated and, in addition to the record number of companies receiving a perfect score of 100, progress continued across workplaces, including:
93 percent of rated companies had adopted sexual orientation equal employment policies for U.S. and global operations and 92 percent had gender identity equal employment policies for U.S. and global operations.
Same-sex domestic partner or spousal benefits were provided by 98 percent of rated companies.
73 percent of rated companies offer transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage, up from 60 percent from last year, the largest single year increase in trans-inclusive health benefits since the coverage was added to the CEI.
Nov. 1, as part of its work to improve the lives of LGBT older people, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) launched the country’s first hotline dedicated to LGBT elders. The SAGE LGBT Elder Hotline is operated by the GLBT National Help Center and staffed entirely by LGBT volunteers. This new national program responds to the fact that many LGBT people live in parts of the country which lack community supports targeted to their needs.
The holidays can be a lonely time, especially for older LGBT people, who are less likely to have children and more likely to suffer from social isolation. The LGBT Elder Hotline was established to provide support, as well as information and referrals, to LGBT older people no matter where they live.
The SAGE LGBT Elder Hotline is live and ready to take calls at 1-888-234-SAGE. It is open Monday through Friday from 4:00 p.m. to midnight Eastern Time, and on Saturday from noon to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. LGBT elders can also contact the hotline at SAGE@GLBThotline.org.
“Prioritizing the needs of LGBT older people is at the core of our mission,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Vulnerable elders need us, no matter where they live in the country. The SAGE LGBT Hotline will help ensure that we reach more isolated LGBT elders than ever before.”
News last year that Signapore removed it’s barrier on HIV-positive travelers reminded us that if you’re HIV-positive and looking to visit or work in another country anytime soon, you had better know whether your status will be a source of trouble. In some places, stories of travelers who ended up at the emergency room after an unexpected accident and then found themselves immediately deported for being HIV-positive aren’t uncommon. Forty-five countries, territories, and regions have some legal restrictions on foreigners known to have HIV, according to a 2012 study compiled by UNAIDS.
Caribbean Paradises
Turks and Caicos (above) in the Caribbean are a sightseer’s paradise, but the islands bar HIV-positive people from working or residing there for even a short period. But if your hopes are set on escaping to the Caribbean, there are no laws on the books barring HIV-positive tourists from St. Lucia or Trinidad and Tobago, and, let’s face it, they probably have better beaches.
Headed to Zion
Surprisingly, some of the places that have restrictions on HIV-positive travelers are known for social and political acceptance of LGBT people. For example, LGBT-friendly countries including Israel, Australia, and New Zealand have laws requiring HIV testing for foreign workers, and the United States barred HIV-positive visitors until fairly recently.
Israel requires HIV testing for certain foreign workers, and the Ministry of Interior reserves the right to deny work permits to those who are HIV-positive. The law appears designed to largely to prevent people from countries with particularly high HIV rates, such as those in sub-Saharan Africa from entering the country, but it can affect anyone with HIV, including Americans.
The Bustle of Asia
A record 6 million travelers visited Taiwan (above) in 2011, yet the country is anything but friendly to those with HIV. Foreigners planning on staying in the country longer than three months can be forced to take HIV tests or other medical examinations, according to the Tainan City Health Bureau, and are not allowed to stay in the country if they test positive.
Pyramid Hunting
If you’re looking to visit pyramids, you might want to plan your vacation for Mexico or Peru, since Egypt is strict about deporting HIV-positive foreigners.
Going Down Under
In Australia restrictions come into play primarily when HIV-positive people wish to stay in the country for longer than 90 days. HIV testing is required for anyone older than 15 applying for a permanent visa. Being HIV-positive does not usually disqualify an applicant, but government officials may take the cost of the applicant’s care or public health risks into consideration.
New Zealand’s law is similar to Australia regarding the treatment of HIV-positive people: Tourists who are staying in the country less than 90 days do not have to declare their status upon arrival. However, people applying for work permits or residency must be tested for HIV and can be turned away if they are positive. Also, a New Zealand policy on accepting refugees from political persecution reserves 20 places for people with HIV.
The Rest of the Best
Most countries, territories, and regions have no HIV-specific restrictions on entry, stay, and residence these days. The United States is now included in that list (after lifting its ban on HIV-positive foreign visitors in 2012), along with such major nations as the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Japan.
For more on places where it’s OK to travel (or not) visit UNAIDS.org.
As mentioned in an earlier blog, recent studies are showing that we LGBT seniors tend to be more resilient than our non-LGBT peers. In learning to live with the stress of being a stigmatized minority we have increased our capacity for handling the difficult challenges of aging. As the saying goes, our wounds have made us stronger. That resilience may also come in handy as we prepare to face the unknowns of the recent election. What are the qualities of that resilience? Here are some of my ideas:
Humor: One of the first qualities that pops up is that we have learned not only to laugh at ourselves, but we have also perfected the art of “dark humor!” We find ways to release hurt and tension, even in sad or fearful times such as during the AIDS pandemic. Humor can help us cope with the losses and uncertainty of our aging.
Self-Awareness: We tend to be introspective. While many of us as children did not have today’s diverse terminology, we knew at a very young age that we were “different” and that led us on an early path of eagerly discovering our authentic selves and finding unique ways to express our talents … a path that many non-LGBT individuals begin much later in life when traditional cultural expectations have been fulfilled.
Self-Protection: As we were learning what made us different, we also learned how to hide those differences in order to survive an intolerant, even hostile culture. In so doing, we developed a heightened awareness of our environment, an intuitive sense of others and strategies for avoiding uncomfortable or even dangerous situations. This ability to preserve our well-being may help us be pro-active and creative in exploring options when difficult aging challenges arise.
Self-Nurturing: While many of us had to overcome unhealthy behaviors that accompanied our internalized stigma, we have also learned the importance of self-care in coping with stress. Some of us find peace and fulfillment through seeking and expressing beauty while others may nurture themselves by connecting with animals and nature or by serving others or by cultivating gratitude and a positive attitude.
Interdependence: Last but not least, we have developed a “kinship” with each other within the LGBT community. We have demonstrated the power and the value of standing together. By combining our individual strengths with our compassionate caring for each other, we will meet both the challenges of our individual aging and overcome any hurdles that may await us collectively. Now that’s resilience!!!
Buz Hermes is co-facilitator of the Sonoma Valley LGBT Seniors Group and a former staff member of Spectrum’s Senior Outreach Program. He is currently a consultant on LGBT aging and can be reached at GaryDHermes@comcast.net or (707) 227-6935.
NASTAD (National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors), has announced the launch of a new online training platform, HisHealth.org, to help doctors, nurses, and medical professionals unlearn racial biases that create barriers to good care and elevate the quality of healthcare for black gay men and black men who have sex with men.
The barriers for black gay men in search of medical care are high. Even though most medical providers want to give good care, only 1 in 3 doctors know what PrEP is — a groundbreaking HIV prevention medication; many doctors aren’t versed in providing quality care for LGBTQ people; and research indicates implicit bias has lead to subpar care for Black Americans. “His Health” gives accredited in-depth training for medical professionals alongside stories of the best care programs in the country.
“Finding a good doctor as a black gay man with HIV is incredibly difficult,” said Terrance Moore, Deputy Executive Director at NASTAD. “Research shows that implicit bias stops many doctors from providing high-quality care to black Americans. Add to that a lack of understanding about the sexual health care needs of LGBT patients — and many men I know would rather stay home. That’s why this new tool is so important — we can help doctors fight implicit bias and provide better care.”
Provides accredited and expert-led continuing education courses that count towards the credits medical professionals already need to maintain their medical licensure;
Offers portraits of innovative models of care including Project Silk, a CDC funded, Pittsburgh -based recreational safe space and sexual health center rooted in house ball culture and Connecting Resources for Urban Sexual Health, a sexual health clinic created by and for LGBTQ youth of color; and
Gives easy access to evidence-based resources to support the delivery of high quality, culturally affirming healthcare services for Black men who have sex with men.
“There is a lot of discussion right now about implicit bias and police brutality in the U.S. — but the truth is, this is a huge challenge for health care providers as well,” said Omoro Omoighe, Associate Director of Health Equity and Health Care Access at NASTAD. “We know doctors and nurses desperately wish to offer culturally affirming healthcare that is stigma free to Black LGBT patients. With the advent of His Health, they now have the tools necessary to tackle implicit bias and feel more confident in their ability to uplift the standard of care for black gay men while maintaining their licensure to practice medicine.”
The His Health platform was developed for and by Black same gender loving men and their healthcare providers in partnership with NASTAD and the Health Resources Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA/HAB) in response to the high HIV rates amongst black men who have sex with men.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.
Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.
J.W. da Silva (24 years old)
Cause of death: stoned to death.
Location of death: Paudalho, Brazil
Date of death: October 27th, 2016 source
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Julia Sofia (20 years old)
Cause of death: stabbed to death.
Location of death: Nazaré, Bahia, Brazil
Date of death: October 21st, 2016 source
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Yasmin Montoy (20 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death, blunt force trauma to the head.
Location of death: São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: October 16th, 2016 source
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unidentified woman
Cause of death: suffucation
Location of death: Sorocaba, Brazil
Date of death: October 13th, 2016 source
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W. R. Alexandre
Cause of death: beaten to death.
Location of death: Baixada Fluminense, Brazil
Date of death: October 8th, 2016 source
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unidentified woman
Cause of death: stabbed to death
Location of death: Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
Date of death: September 30th, 2016 source
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Rafael Silva (17 year old)
Cause of death: 17 gunshots, ran over by car.
Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: September 30th, 2016 source
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Chaiene da Silva
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds
Location of death: Paudalho, Pernambuco, Brazil
Date of death: September 24th, 2016 source
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Larissa (31 years old)
Cause of death: shot in abdomen, thrown from car
Location of death: São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: September 16th, 2016 source
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H.J. Silva (37 years old)
Cause of death: blunt force trauma
Location of death: Sítio do Quinto, Bahia, Brazil
Date of death: September 11th, 2016 source
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Pâmela Pereira (16 years old)
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds
Location of death: Conceição do Jacuípe, Bahia, Brazil
Date of death: September 9th, 2016 source
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unidentified woman (24 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot and stab wounds
Location of death: Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: September 9th, 2016 source
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Taina W.P. Alencar (22 years old)
Cause of death: stab wound
Location of death: Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
Date of death: September 4th, 2016 source
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Hilda A.J. da Silva (46 years old)
Cause of death: strangled with an electrical cord
Location of death: Aliança, Pernambuco, Brazil
Date of death: September 4th, 2016 source
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Bruniele
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds
Location of death: São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: August 29th, 2016 source
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Erika W.P. de Arruda (30 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot wounds to neck and groin
Location of death: Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Date of death: August 25th, 2016 source
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Brenda
Cause of death: stabbing
Location of death: Castanhal, Pará, Brazil
Date of death: August 19th, 2016 source
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Tiffany Rodrigues (23 years old)
Cause of death: asphyxiation
Location of death: Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Date of death: August 8th, 2016 source
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unidentified woman
Cause of death: stabbing
Location of death: Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
Date of death: August 1st, 2016 source
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Thiemy Oliveira (24 years old)
Cause of death: stabbing
Location of death: Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
Date of death: August 1st, 2016 source
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Adriane Bonek (43 years old)
Cause of death: unknown
Location of death: São Pedro da Aldeia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date of death: August 1st, 2016 source
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Sabrina E.S. Sales (25 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death
Location of death: Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia, Brazil
Date of death: July 25th, 2016 source
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unidentified woman
Cause of death: stabbing
Location of death: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
Date of death: July 13th, 2016 source
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Edymara M. Leão (36 years old)
Cause of death: asphyxiation
Location of death: Lago Norte, Brazil
Date of death: July 11th, 2016 source
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Nickolle Rocha (19 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death
Location of death: Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: July 11th, 2016 source
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Pandora Pereira (26 years old)
Cause of death: stabbed to death
Location of death: São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: July 3rd, 2016 source
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Daiane Brasil (36 years old)
Cause of death: gunshots to the neck, chest, and face.
Location of death: Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Date of death: June 27th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Julia Almeida (28 years old)
Cause of death: strangled, thrown in sugar cane field.
Location of death: Ituverava, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: June 25th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Danielly Barby (24 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot to the neck
Location of death: Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: June 25th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Sheila Santos
Cause of death: gunshot
Location of death: Calabar, Bahia, Brazil
Date of death: June 24th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Lorran Lorang (19 years old)
Cause of death: asphyxiation
Location of death: Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date of death: June 22nd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: beaten to death with a wooden club
Location of death: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Date of death: June 18th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Gabriel Figueira de Lima (21 years old)
Cause of death: stabbed in the neck
Location of death: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Date of death: June 16th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Paula
Cause of death: beaten to death
Location of death: Goiandira, Goiás, Brazil
Date of death: June 16th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Lauandersa
Cause of death: stabbed over 30 times
Location of death: Genipabu, Caucaia, Brazil
Date of death: May 16th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Ana Hickmann (30 years old)
Cause of death: 2 gunshots in the neck
Location of death: Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
Date of death: May 15th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Michele de Souza (22 years old)
Cause of death: 7 gunshots to the chest, abdomen, legs and arms.
Location of death: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: May 11th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Leticia Silva (22 years old)
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.
Location of death: Belém, Pará, Brazil
Date of death: May 5th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Alana da Silva Pessoa (22 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot wound.
Location of death: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
Date of death: May 4th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Jéssica L.C. Menezes (24 years old)
Cause of death: multiple stab wounds
Location of death: Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Date of death: April 16th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Luana Biersack (14 years old)
Cause of death: sexually assaulted, beaten, and drowned..
Location of death: Novo Itacolomi, Paraná, Brazil
Date of death: April 13th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Amanda Araujo (17 years old)
Cause of death: multiple stab wounds
Location of death: Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil
Date of death: April 11th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Bianca Abravanel (25 years old)
Cause of death: 15 gunshot wounds to the chest and face.
Location of death:Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: April 11th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Andinho
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.
Location of death: Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil
Date of death: March 29th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Gabriela Rodrigues
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.
Location of death: Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
Date of death: March 28th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Keyti (42 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death.
Location of death: Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil
Date of death: March 27th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————
D.S. Barros (21 years old)
Cause of death: 30 stab wounds over entire body Location of death: Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Date of death: March 23th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————
M. Moreira (16 years old)
Cause of death: head trauma
Location of death: Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Date of death: March 20th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Camilla Rios (32 years old)
Cause of death: 30 stab wounds over entire body
Location of death: Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date of death: March 14th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: unknown, dismembered
Location of death: Brazil
Date of death: March 10th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Mika P. Da Silva
Cause of death: gunshot wounds to the head and groin
Location of death:Macau, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Date of death: March 7th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
María la del Barrio
Cause of death: unknown
Location of death: Manaus, Brazil
Date of death: March 6th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
V.
Cause of death: multiple stab wounds to the neck
Location of death: João Pessoa, Brazil
Date of death: March 7th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds
Location of death: Gravatai, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: February 27th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Natascha (37 years old)
Cause of death: set on fire.
Location of death: Tarumã, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: February 24th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: strangled, partially burned
Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: February 19th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: strangled, partially burned
Location of death: Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Date of death: February 19th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: gunshot
Location of death: Carapicuiba, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: February 12th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Malu (30 years old)
Cause of death: unknown
Location of death: Maracanaú, Ceará, Brazil
Date of death: March 11th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Fabiane Hilario (20 years old)
Cause of death: Gunshot at point blank range to the head.
Location of death: Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Date of death: January 27th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Dani (20 years old)
Cause of death: Gunshot to the chest
Location of death: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death: January 24th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Bruna Souza (23 years old)
Cause of death: multiple stab wounds
Location of death: Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil
Date of death: January 23rd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Ketelen Alves (23 years old)
Cause of death: gunshots
Location of death: Manaus, Brazil
Date of death: Jaunuay 23rd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Giovana Atanazio (20 years old)
Cause of death: Thrown from a bridge, drowned
Location of death: São José dos Campos, Brazil
Date of death: January 17th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
unidentified woman
Cause of death: multiple gunshots
Location of death: Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Date of death: January 4th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Italy
Thiago Fernando Batista (30 years old)
Cause of death: unknown, body thrown in dumpster.
Location of death: Rome, Italy
Date of death: July 29th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Mexico
Paulett Gonzalez (24 years old)
Cause of death: murdered, burned beyond recognition.
Location of death: Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico
Date of death: June 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Pakistan
Alisha (23 years old)
Cause of death: multiple gunshot wounds.
Location of death: Parda Bagh, Faqirbabad, Pakistan
Date of death: May 25th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Russia
Raina Aliev (25 years old)
Cause of death: dismembered
Location of death: Dagestan
Date of death: October 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Spain
Lorena Reyes (32 years old)
Cause of death: fall, after being stabbed
Location of death: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Date of death: October 24th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Thailand
Amphon Kongsong (28 years old)
Cause of death: strangled, body stuffed in bed frame.
Location of death: Pattaya, Thailand
Date of death: August 20th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Turkey
Hande Kader (24 years old)
Cause of death: murdered, burned beyond recognition.
Location of death: Istanbul, Turkey
Date of death: August 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
USA
Monica Loera (43 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot
Location of death: Austin, Texas, USA
Date of death: January 22nd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Jasmine Sierra (52 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death
Location of death: Bakersfield, California, USA
Date of death: January 22nd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Maya Young (25 years old)
Cause of death: stabbing
Location of death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of death: February 20th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Kendarie/Kandicee Johnson (16 years old)
Cause of death: Gunshot
Location of death: Burlington, Iowa
Date of death: March 2nd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Keyonna Blakeney (22 years old)
Cause of death: upper body trauma
Location of death: Rockville, Maryland, USA
Date of death: May 1st, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Tyreece “Reecey” Walker (32 years old)
Cause of death: multiple stab wounds
Location of death: Wichita, Kansas, USA
Date of death: May 1st, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Mercedes Successful (32 years old)
Cause of death: gunshot
Location of death: Haines City, Florida, USA
Date of death: May 15th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Amos Beede (38 years old)
Cause of death: beaten to death
Location of death: Burlington, Vermont
Date of death: May 22nd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Devin Diamond (22 years old)
Cause of death: blunt force trauma, set on fire
Location of death: New Orleans, Louisiana
Date of death: June 5th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Deeniquia Dodds (22 years old)
Cause of death: shot
Location of death: Washington D.C., USA
Date of death: July 4th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Dee Whigham (36 years old)
Cause of death: stabbed to death
Location of death: St. Martin, Mississippi, USA
Date of death: July 23rd, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Erykah Tijerina (36 years old)Cause of death: Stabbed 24 times
Location of death: El Paso, Texas, USA
Date of death: August 8th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Rae’lynn Thomas (28 years old)
Cause of death: Shot at point blank range
Location of death: Columbus, Ohio, USA
Date of death: August 10th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
TT Saffore (26 years old)
Cause of death: Throat cut
Location of death: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Date of death: September 11th, 2016 source
——————————————————————————-
Crystal Edmonds (32 years old)
Cause of death: Shot in back of head
Location of death: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Date of death: March September 16th, 2015 source
The primary, if (mostly) unspoken, purpose of voter ID laws is to keep down turnout among African-American voters who prefer Democrats. But one of the side effects of the laws is that they make it harder for trans voters too. An estimated 34,000 trans voters may find it impossible to cast a ballot this election because they can’t clear the hurdles that Republican legislatures have put in place.
According to a report from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, eight states have laws that make voting incredibly (and perhaps intentionally) difficult for trans people. At issue is the need to produce documentation, such as a birth certificate, that not only proves that they are U.S. citizens but that also reflects their gender. Of course, North Carolina, hotbed of anti-trans activity, is one of the eight offending states.
“Transgender people have unique, and sometimes insurmountable, burdens to obtaining accurate IDs for voting in states that require it,”says Williams Institute Scholar Jody Herman, the author of the study.
Changing documents so that they accurately reflect the voter’s gender is a burdensome and often costly process that requires jumping through a series of bureaucratic hoops. Needless to say, that burden falls disproportionately on transgender people of color, youth, students and people with disabilities. The National Center for Transgender Equality has a checklist for voters to help them navigate both pre- and post-Election Day challenges.
Did Republican legislators intentionally decide to craft laws that target trans voters? Probably not. But that if they did, they’d consider it a feature of the law, not a bug.
Cause of death: Stabbed 24 times
