Epidemic of Violence against Black Trans Women Claims Another Life

Queasha D. Hardy was only 22 years old

The epidemic of violence against Black transgender women continues to claim lives in communities across the United States.

Queasha D. Hardy, 24 of Baton Rouge, LA, was shot to death on Monday, July 27. Initial police reports misgendered and deadnamed her.

“Another young Black transgender woman is dead, killed in an act of violence,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality. “The combination of transphobia and racism leaves Black trans women unprotected and in harm’s way. Even in death, the police fail to recognize her for the person she was. Violence against Black trans women happens every day and requires that we all lift up their names and demand justice and a respectful and thorough investigation by police.”

In NCTE’s U.S. Transgender Survey, which included about 28,000 respondents, nearly half (47%) of all Black respondents reported being denied equal treatment, verbally harassed, and/or physically attacked in the past year because of being transgender. Nearly one in ten (9%) were physically attacked in the past year because of being transgender.  Black transgender women (14%) were more likely to be physically attacked in the past year because of being transgender, compared to Black non-binary people (8%) and transgender men (7%).

For more information, read the full report on experiences of Black USTS respondents.