Where Is The Trans Community For CeCe?

Guest post by Pamela Hayes 

This morning, after sipping my apple juice and reading the headlines, I went online and ran across a disturbing story about CeCe McDonald, a young trans woman who got into a physical altercation with bigots, which led to a man losing his life. According to the article, CeCe is in jail on two counts of second degree murder.

Cee Cee was merely defending herself and in the course of doing so, a person lost his life. Imagine being locked up, stripped of your freedom for defending yourself. Talk about a huh moment.

What happened to CeCe could happen to any trans woman. Actually it could happen to any person. But in this post, I'm talking about trans women. Any trans woman could be out and about grabbing a bite to eat, shopping for groceries, or in the post office buying stamps and encounter a hateful bigot, who pelts her with epithets. And knocks her around a bit.

What is she to do? The natural response to that sort of thing is to fight back. Which was what CeCe did.

And unfortunately, a person was killed. But CeCe did not plot this man's murder. He lost his life while CeCe was defending herself. And she shouldn't be in jail.

But CeCe is trans, so of course, anti trans folks are undoubtedly arguing that had she not been out there like that, (translated, being a trans woman) there wouldn't have been any trouble. Well, each of us have a right to live our lives any way we damn well please. And no one has a right to accost anybody with insults or bodily injury.

CeCe's last name triggers memory of the young white girl (Chrissy Lee Polis) who was attacked and beat up in a McDonald's eatery sometime back. When that happened, the transsexual cavalry ran to her rescue. This story made the headlines. News reports were on the Internet. A defense fund was set up for this white trans woman. She didn't go out seeking help. A trans group with power sought her out.

Where is that group now? Why aren't they extending a helpful hand to CeCe? She could certainly use their support. Is a white trans woman getting beat up more important than a black trans woman who accidentally killed a man while defending herself?

Where is the ACLU? Or any human rights groups? CeCe McDonald is in trouble and she needs assistance.