Ethan St. Pierre: My Statement regarding the vigils on Sunday for Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado
by: Autumn Sandeen
Mon Nov 23, 2009 at 16:00:00 PM EST

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14224/ethan-st-pierre-my-statement-regarding-the-vigils-on-sunday-for-jorge-steven-lopez-mercado

My Statement regarding the vigils on Sunday for Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado

By Ethan St. Pierre

Although I stand in solidarity and am deeply moved by the outrage and actions of the LGBT Puerto Rican community regarding the brutal murder of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, I feel the need to address those community members, outside of the Puerto Rican LGBT community who are not so respectful.

Since the Transgender community held our last transgender day of remembrance event on November 20, 2008 there have been 163 murders reported globally. That's approximately 1 murder every 3 days of a person based on their gender identity or gender expression. They have all died, unspeakable, horrible deaths all at the hands of a killer. All because of the way they expressed their gender.

For the gay community to single out Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado and ignore the other 162 murders at a time when our transgender community and allies are coming together to express our sorrows and to recognize the losses we have endured over the past year is both insulting and sad.