Trans Woman in Tampa is 10th Trans Murder in U.S. This Year

Trans Woman in Tampa is 10th Trans Murder in U.S. This Year


India Clarke, a 25-year-old black trans woman, was found dead outside Tampa, Florida's University Area Community Center on Tuesday morning reports WTSP.

A park employee discovered Clarke's body just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Clarke died of blunt force trauma to the upper body, according to police in Tampa, Florida. No suspect has been found and police are currently searching for leads.
Since her death local media have consistently misgendered Clarke as a man. WTSP as well as other local media have used her birth name, male pronouns, and refer to her as a "man in a dress." This reporting has gone against journalistic standards for fairly and accurately reporting on transgender people.

Detective Larry McKinnon, a spokesman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, told BuzzFeed News, “We are not going to categorize him as a transgender. We can just tell you he had women’s clothing on at the time. What his lifestyle was prior to that we don’t know — whether he was a cross dresser, we don’t know."

On social media Clarke identified as a woman, used female pronouns, and used the first name India.

According to advocate.com Clarke is the 10th transgender woman to be murdered this year. Mercedes Williamson, 17, in Rocky Creek, AL, London Kiki Chanel, 21, in Philadelphia, Kristina Gomez Reinwald, 46, in Miami, Penny Proud, 21, in New Orleans, Taja DeJesus, 36, in San Francisco, Yazmin Vash Payne, 33, in Los Angeles, Ty Underwood, 24, in North Tyler, Texas, Lamia Beard, 30, in Norfolk, VA, Bri Golec, 22, of Akron, OH, and Lamar "Papi" Edwards, 20, of Louisville, KY are the names of transgender people who have been killed this year.  Though there are conflicting reports on how Golec and Edwards identified.

Photo: Facebook