A woman was murdered near where I live - a stabbing that happened Saturday night.
This isn't trans related (as she was genetically female) but it has considerable resonance for me. The murder happened in the park that I got accosted in about ten months ago at 11pm as I walked home. It is a lovely park - at least during the daytime. At night time it has minimal lighting and is very dark. That never worried me when I used to present as male, but once I transitioned and some guy followed me as I walked home ("just to talk" or so he claimed) it no longer felt safe to walk through there at night. I decided from that point on to catch a bus home after 8.30 pm as it would mean not having to walk through the large open dark area of the park. I used to feel a bit silly doing this, and from to time I'd think "ah, I probably don't need to catch a bus" but I'd still catch it anyway. I don't feel very silly any more.
The full facts of the crime are yet to come out but regarding personal safety it (and the previous incident) really has changed my once casual attitude. We rightly need to be aware of our safety as trans women - but we still need to be conscious of our safety as women because that is just as likely to make us targets.
