A New Zealand transgender advocacy and support group is urging Brazil to address its “appalling” rate of violence against transgender people. Agender held a Transgender Day of Remembrance Commemoration in Christchurch on Thursday, to remembers transgender victims of violence and shine a light on the issue. Of the 226 reported killings of trans people recorded by Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring project between October 1st 2013 to September 30th 2014, 113 were in Brazil. Agender spokeswoman Claudia McKay says these are not just killings. “Human beings are being treated with contempt and barbarity. They are shot multiple times, eyes cut out and they are beaten and dragged through the streets,” she says. “Brazil needs to own up to the fact that it has a major societal problem.” McKay says the Olympics in Brazil will not be on many transgender people’s visit list.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 22nd November 2014 - 9:57am