In the midst of the recent attack on a 28-year-old woman who was hit on the head with a hammer by a man yelling, “This what you get for being gay,” in Woodside last week, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Woodside), Make the Road New York, the New York City Anti-Violence Project, Public Advocate Letitia James, comptroller Scott Stringer and several other community members rallied at the Woodside Plaza to end violence against transgender women.
New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Congressman Joe Crowley speak out about violence against transgender women at a press conference in Astoria last Thursday.
“No New Yorker should feel threatened or be attacked because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Stringer. “While I am glad that the victim of this horrific attack is expected to make a full recovery, this incident underscores the dangers our transgender community faces each and every day. We must redouble our efforts to speak up for our transgender neighbors and create a safer, more accepting city for all.”
Thus far this year in Queens alone, there have been 10 reported incidents of violence against transgender individuals.
“There is no room for hatred or transphobia in our community, or anywhere,” said Van Bramer. “Our trans neighbors should be able to go about their daily lives without living in fear of a vicious attack like the one that happened last week. We must come together as one community and demand an end to violence. We will not stop until New York City is a safe, accepting and compassionate city for all.”
In January, a transgender woman was forced to undergo emergency surgery after being attacked on a D train in Harlem; in March a transgender woman was sexually assaulted in the bathroom of the Stonewall Inn; and in May two transgender women were assaulted in Brooklyn.
“Too often, transgender New Yorkers are subjected to atrocious acts of hate and violence,” said James. “Whether walking home from a club, riding the subway or grocery shopping, violence against any group of New Yorkers will never be tolerated. New York City is a fabric woven of diverse communities, sexual orientations, faiths, ethnicities and genders, and we all have a moral responsibility to stand together and speak out against this bigotry.”
In the last two years, 53 transgender people were murdered in the United States, with 90 percent of them being people of color.
“It is clear that our nation is in crisis, and violence has reached epidemic proportions,” said Councilwoman Rosie Méndez (D-Manhattan), chair of the LGBT Caucus. “Transgender women of color are at more risk of being attacked and being a victim of hate violence. I ask all New Yorkers to assist in stopping these attacks and to report any information that will identify the attacker.”
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