Fighting Anti-Trans Violence
My Story: Here's What I've Learned about the Police
Lourdes Ashley Hunter

“I’ve always identified as gender-nonconforming. Luckily, I’ve always been accepted by my family and friends, but that’s not the case for everyone.

“The police profile transgender individuals a lot. They think that we’re all sex workers. There are cases where they harass people, disrespect them and take away their humanity. Sexual assault cases are not uncommon. They also use inappropriate pronouns, offensive language and pejorative terms.

“I’ve worked with the police in my capacity as a community organizer for over 20 years and my advice is: Know your rights. In New York City, for instance, you have the right not to be discriminated against for your gender identity and to be addressed by your appropriate pronoun.

“Never argue with the police. Defend yourself by knowing the law.”

Fighting Anti-Trans Violence

Violence is a plague in the lives of many transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people, with hate-motivated beatings and murders very common and often involving extra cruelty. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 72% of reported hate murders against LGBT people and people living with HIV in 2013 were committed against transgender women, with 67% against transgender women of color. This terror-by-example creates the kind of fear that sends people underground, away from community services and support.

To read our FAQ on this issue, click here

Call the cops? Police often participate in the intimidation themselves rather than providing protection. They often use abusive language, humiliate TGNC people and are widely responsible for injuries during custody and on routine patrols. In 2012, Lambda Legal’s national survey on police misconduct, Protected and Served?, found that 32% of TGNC respondents reported that police officers’ attitudes toward them had been hostile. Additionally, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs found in 2013 that transgender people were 3.7 times more likely to experience police violence than the general population.

In recent years, the rash of murders has prompted an outcry. Since 1998, November 20th has been marked annually around the world as Transgender Day of Remembrance. Following years of grassroots campaigning, a U.S. federal hate crimes law now covers TGNC victims. And protests against police brutality are beginning to bring changes in a few major American cities.

Nonetheless, there are continued reports about TGNC people being degraded, physically assaulted or sexually abused while under arrest. These harken back to one of the first and most high-profile campaigns to hold police accountable for anti-transgender violence: the murder case of transgender teen Brandon Teena. In 2001, the Nebraska Supreme Court held a local sheriff liable for both his own abusive treatment of Teena and his failure to protect him from murder after his rapists threatened his life. (Lambda Legal argued the case on appeal.)

This fact sheet describes current battles against anti-TGNC violence and mentions a variety of ways to connect with advocates and services, whether participating in community events; helping establish TGNC-friendly police policies; or reaching out for legal advice or support through Lambda Legal’s Help Desk at 866-542-8336 or www.lambdalegal.org/help.