In a yard in Houston’s gallery district on March 24, dozens of friends and community members gathered to recognize and celebrate Diamond Brigman’s life. Brigman, a 36-year-old Black trans woman, was murdered in west Houston earlier in the month.
The organizers of the ceremony were various organizations that had intimate relationships with trans people and were committed to improving their lives. Friends characterized Brigman as “larger than life” and working tirelessly to effect positive transformations in her community. They vowed to continue fighting to stop trans people from being targeted solely for who they are.
In the early morning of March 16, Brigman was killed. Witnesses reported seeing a light Chevy Malibu circling Brigman several times before stopping. A person from the passenger seat shot Brigman multiple times before the car fled the scene. A passerby who witnessed the incident called the authorities and stayed with Brigman until paramedics arrived. Eventually, authorities found the vehicle used in the crime, but the perpetrator has not yet been identified or located.
The Lavender Rights Project, Protect Our Sisters United, and the Mahogany Project all organized a celebration for Brigman to raise awareness of the state’s current epidemic of anti-trans violence, particularly in Texas. Atlantis Narcisse, the leader of Save Our Sisters United, spoke out about the recent surge in anti-trans acts, saying, “There was another trans celebration that happened last Saturday, and we have seen three incidents near [S.O.S.U.] businesses. How are some incidents being reported as ‘untrue’?”
Anti-trans violence is not an isolated issue. It is part of a coordinated assault on trans people and the LGBTQ+ community in general by right-wing officials, often with support from corporate interests. Since the beginning of 2024, over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the nation, many of which specifically target trans individuals. These bills aim to exclude trans people from public life by restricting their access to facilities, medical care, and education. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has signed laws banning trans youth from accessing gender-affirming care and participating in school sports. Attorney General Ken Paxton has even attempted to compile a list of trans youth to investigate their parents for “child abuse.”
The attacks on transgender people in policy are directly linked to the violence against transgender people on the streets. Between 2017 and 2021, the number of trans people murdered nearly doubled. A staggering 90.9% of transgender people killed last year were people of color, and at least half of the victims were Black trans individuals, highlighting the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities.
The attempt to marginalize trans people from public life is a longstanding tactic used to divide and conquer. By scapegoating marginalized groups, capitalist officials deflect attention from their unpopular policies and maintain divisions within the working class. It is crucial to recognize this strategy and unite against prejudice and violence as systemic issues rather than individual problems.
Justice for Diamond Brigman!
