On Dec. 5, a candlelight vigil took place in San Francisco's Harvey Milk Plaza for several transgender victims of the Oakland warehouse fire, SFGate.com reported.
Thirty-six bodies have been found in the converted warehouse, in which dozens of attendees were trapped when a fire broke out Dec. 2 at the Ghost Ship Collective during an performance from Golden Donna 100% Silk.
The exact number of transgender victims was unknown as of Dec. 7. The Rev. Megan Rohrer, a transgender Lutheran pastor in San Francisco, commented that the unknown number is because most people in the community use different names from what's on their birth certificates, which investigators use to identify victims.
Scout Wolfcave—an Oregon-based trans woman and close friend of Feral Pines, one of the victims—told The Guardian that when the police and the media incorrectly use "he" pronouns for the women and refer to them by the names on their legal documents, it is deeply hurtful to the trans community. (Among other transgender victims were Cash Askew and Em B.) Wolfcave, who founded the Trans Assistance Project, said she wants to shift the focus toward the lives and accomplishments of the women.
In a joint statement, Transgender Law Center, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality California called for Oakland authorities to honor the names and genders of the transgender victims. In part, they said, "Use of a transgender person's birth name rather than their true name is not only inaccurate, but is deeply disrespectful to the individual. In a time of tragedy, use of birth names, or 'dead naming,' is demeaning, offensive, and causes needless additional pain to those who are already suffering from the loss of those they loved."
The article is at SFgate.com/bayarea/article/Vigil-in-SF-mourns-transgender-victims-of-Oakland-10708887.php. The Guardian piece is at TheGuardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/06/oakland-fire-ghost-ship-transgender-victims-them-are-us-too.
LGBT groups call for honoring the names, genders of transgender Oakland fire victims
From a press release
Oakland—In the aftermath of the tragic fire at the Ghost Ship artist community on December 2 that claimed the lives of more than 35 people, local authorities and media have continued to disrespect transgender victims by not honoring their correct names and gender identities.
The following joint statement was issued by Equality California, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, Transgender Law Center and the Trans Assistance Project.
"As we continue to mourn the lives of those lost in the tragic Ghost Ship fire, it is essential that we do everything that we can to preserve the dignity of the transgender victims by honoring and respecting their names and gender identities.
Use of a transgender person's birth name rather than their correct name is not only inaccurate, but is deeply disrespectful to the individual. In a time of tragedy, use of birth names, or 'dead naming,' is demeaning, offensive, and causes needless additional pain to those who are already suffering from the loss of those they loved.
We all seek to be seen and respected as our authentic selves and for who we truly are. We call on local authorities and the media to show respect and humanity to all by using the correct and true names of transgender individuals in all contexts, both for those we have lost and those still living."
For guidelines on covering transgender people in the media, please visit GLAAD's resource guide. To learn more about transgender community responses to this tragedy, please visit the Trans Assistance Project.
Equality California is the nation's largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org .
