Murdered transgendered woman a possible hate crime victim
Memphis police are investigating the death of Rodney Whitaker, age 20, an African American transgendered woman who was found on July 1, 2008, in Memphis, Tennessee.
While police are currently investigating the circumstances of the crime, says Tennessee Equality Project President Christopher Sanders, there is reason to believe that Whitaker’s murder was a hate crime fueled by “transphobia.”
Whitaker’s murder is the latest in a string of hate crimes against the Memphis transgender community. This week’s murder follows the February 16 murder of African American transgendered woman, Tiffany Berry.
Read the original article at the Out & About online newspaper.
Read a related article at the Memphis Eyewitness News website.
No comments yet.
Leave a Reply
About
If you are a first-time visitor to the Unfinished Lives Project website, we invite you to read A Welcome Message introducing you to our project. We are truly grateful for your visit.
The Unfinished Lives Project website is a place of public discourse which remembers and honors LGBTQ hate crime victims, while also revealing the reality of unseen violence perpetrated against people whose only “offense” is their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender presentation. LGBTQ people in the United States are suffering a slow-rolling decimation of terror and murder all across the country. Every locale and demographic of society are affected: First Nations, Anglo, Black, Latino and Latina, South and Southeast Asian, Transgender, Bisexuals, Gay men, Lesbians, disabled, young, and mature. Homophobia has a long, crooked arm, and it is reaching out to snatch the life away from women and men whose tragic stories are under-reported to begin with, and whose memories are swiftly forgotten.
The horror of these killings transcends the shock and bereavement of loved ones and friends. These are not typical homicides; they are not killings for money or drugs, incidents of domestic strife, or crimes of passion. The vicious nature of hate crimes against LGBTQ persons is extremely brutal, grotesquely violent, and egregiously hateful.
Each murder serves the LGBTQ population as a sobering warning about the actual level of danger in our communities. The message these killings send is that freedom and open life for LGBTQ people is a cruel dream. Every time we remember one of these victims, however, the intentions of their killers are frustrated. To remember these women and men is to begin the process of changing the culture that killed them.
Our Project Director
Stephen V. Sprinkle is Director of Field Education and Supervised Ministry, and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas, a post he has held since 1994. An ordained Baptist minister, he is the first open and out Gay scholar in the history of the Divinity School, and the first open and out LGBTQ person to be tenured there. Read More…
Recent Social Justice Advocacy Activity By Dr. Sprinkle
Summer 2009 – Dr. Sprinkle responded to the Fort Worth Police Department and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Raid on the Rainbow Lounge, Fort Worth’s newest gay bar, on June 28, 2009, the exact 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. Dr. Sprinkle was invited to speak at three protest events sponsored by Queer LiberAction of Dallas. Here, he is keynoting the Rainbow Lounge Protest at the Tarrant County Courthouse on July 12, 2009. Read More…
Contact Us
Communicate with the Unfinished Lives project team:
info@unfinishedlivesblog.com
Schedule a Presentation
Dr. Sprinkle will gladly present his acclaimed presentation to your organization. To arrange an Unfinished Lives presentation for your organization or group, please contact us.
Dr. Sprinkle has given his Unfinished Lives presentation to these and other community groups and organizations. Read More…
-
Where are our readers?
Follow Unfinished Lives on Facebook
Box Turtle Bulletin- Rethinking tradition
- Rick Santorum’s delusional response to the Ninth Circuit ruling
- Washington House approves marriage bill
- Illinois marriage bill introduced
- Ellen takes on AFA’s ‘One Million’ Moms
- Uganda Television Covers Opposition To Anti-Homosexuality Bill
- BBC Gets It Wrong — Again! — On the Anti-Homosexuality Bill
- St. Petersburg Russia Approves Second Reading of “Ban-The-Gay” Bill
- Rick Rolls Romney
- The Daily Agenda for Wednesday, February 8
- Unknown Feed
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
- The Advocate: Daily News
- Teachers’ Union Endorses New Policy on LGBT Issues
- Book Excerpt: Maye's Quest by Clifford Henderson
- Revel & Riot has LGBTQ Themed Valentine's Day Cards for your Sweetie
- HOUSE VOTES YES; MARRIAGE READY IN WASHINGTON
- Conservatives in Spain Looking to Overturn Marriage?
- Lesbian Couple Fights Exclusion, Mourns Son's Death
- Op-ed: How LGBT Families Have Changed in 30 Years
- Russian City Advances Antigay Measure
- Vigil in D.C. For Murdered Trans Woman
- Are Bigoted Air Marshals Also Failing to Protect The Skies?
- Dallas Voice: Instant Tea
- Michelle Obama joins “Top Chef” alums in Dallas
- Building that houses Legal Hospice of Texas, Stonewall Behavioral Health closed after fire
- Alvarado restaurant owner appeals $5K fine for calling customer gay to state Supreme Court
- REVIEW: “Fashioned Forward” Gaultier music exploration at the DMA fails
- LGBT advocates take their fight to have mayor sign marriage pledge to the Dallas City Council
- Hubbard: ‘If you don’t want more Mayor Rawlings, then you need to support a candidate like me’
- DFW Actors Give Back presents $15K to Jonathan’s Place
- Dallas GLBT History Project meets tonight
- Equality Texas calls on mayors from state’s 10 largest cities to sign marriage pledge
- Concert Notice: Madonna at AAC Oct. 20
