DETROIT, MI The body of Melvin, a 30-year old African American gay male, was discovered shot to death early yesterday morning by a neighbor on Detroit's East side.
Melvin was homeless, and often wore clothing typically worn by women to earn a living, causing early reports to identify him as potentially a member of the transgender community. Friends of Melvin, however, insist that he did not identify as transgender.
The Detroit Police Department ( DPD ) is not releasing Melvin's legal name out of respect for his family.
Equality Michigan, the statewide anti-violence and advocacy organization serving Michigan's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV communities, supports victims of anti-LGBTQ crime and tracks violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected people throughout Michigan.
Statement by Yvonne Siferd, Esq. Director of Victim Services, Equality Michigan
"We have no words to describe the inexplicable and heart wrenching pain we are feeling right now. We can, however, articulate our outrage over this epidemic of violence aimed at our community. Enough is enough. As mainstream communities use our lives and our bodies as political fodder and comedy, our people are dying in brutal and violent attacks. We are not the problem. In the land of the free, we should be able to express our authentic selves freely and without fear for our physical safety, but this is not our reality. In the land of the brave, we lead the way. Because in this world, openly expressing your gender or sexual orientation in a way that mainstream society regularly demeans, discounts, and objectifies is revolutionary."