Caiolin, 56, is Just Another Woman Who Happens To Be Trans #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Transgender Women

Name: Caiolin Age: 56 County of Residence: Allegheny County Preferred Pronouns: She, her How do you describe your identity?  Female, heterosexual, white, Irish German atheist. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I am a trans-woman that transitioned after 30 years of marriage and two children. I had fooled myself for […]

JoJo Striker is Third Trans Woman of Color Murdered in 2017

JoJo Striker

She was 23 years old, a black trans woman and her body was discovered in an abandoned garage on February 8 in her hometown of Toledo. It took over a week for her death and true identity to be brough to light because of the trifecta of reporting on this epidemic – misgendering, dead naming […]

23 Year Old Western PA Trans Man Killed in Officer Related Shooting

Sean Hake

Police officers responded to a domestic call in Sharon, Pennsylvania around 11:30 PM Friday evening. A 23-year-old resident of the house, Sean Hake, was fatally shot before midnight. Sean was a trans man. Mercer County District Attorney Miles K. Karson Jr. said Saturday he could not comment on the open investigation. He said he expects […]

Two Spirit Lakota Woman Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow Second Reported Trans Murder in 2017

Jamie Lee Wounded Knee

Just days after reporting on the first reported murder of a trans woman in 2017 and the updated last reported murder in 2016, I’m blogging again about another murdered trans woman of color. Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow was 28 years old, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and a resident of Sioux Falls, South […]

TWOC India Monroe Murdered on Dec 21 and We Just Found Out

India monroe trans

Less than 24 hours after learning about the first transgender person reported murdered this year comes word of a trans sister, India Monroe, who was murdered in December, but misgendered. From Mic.com A transgender Virginia resident known to friends as India Monroe was killed on Dec. 21 in Newport News, Virginia, though she was misgendered and […]

Mesha Caldwell of Mississippi is First Reported Trans Woman Killed in 2017

Mesha Caldwell Mississippi

Mesha was 41 years old, worked as a beautician and stylist in her hometown of Canton, Mississippi. According to her Facebook profile, Mesha had been a student at Jackson State University. Her friends describe her as stylish and someone who looked good in anything she wore. Her body was discovered at 3:45 PM along a […]

Dawn, 33, Describes Life as a Trans Woman in Westmoreland County #AMPLIFY

Name: Dawn Age: 33 County of Residence:  Westmoreland, formerly Armstrong county Preferred Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? I’m transgender, male to female though I haven’t transitioned, I’m sexually unsure. I’m also a furry. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My coming out was via letter to […]

Dear Jackie Evancho. Just Say No.

Jackie Juliette Evancho

I read the news that Jackie Evancho is going to perform during the Inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump. And my heart sank. As my readers probably know, her older sister Juliette is a young trans woman who has bravely stood up to hurtful anti-trans discriminatory policies in her school district and is working with Lambda Legal […]

Ravenna, 37, Pansexual Trans Woman Living in the Allegheny County Suburbs #AMPLIFY

Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I came out at 26 years old. It was tough. I was on the verge of suicide and I had a 2-year-old son depending on my existence.

I dropped a bomb on my life. On relationships. It was the only way. I had no friends. Nowhere to really start. I just got myself out into the queer community. My personality aided greatly in forming my initial friendship and support base. Those early days were very lonely though.

How would you describe yourself NOW in terms of “being out”? Been living openly as a pansexual trans woman for 10 years. I’ve gone through all of the legalities and am quite open in my personal life. I do like to maintain my anonymity in my daily life. I still work where I did through my transition. Work was tough but I fought and survived the experience.

Vanessa, 31, Describes Her Transition & Life as Pansexual in Washington County #AMPLIFY

Trans Pansexual Washington County

How would you describe yourself NOW in terms of “being out”? I carry myself allot better that i ever have before, my confidence is much greater and have gained a better sense of living. Being happy that I’m now who i am and not pretending to be someone i never was has lifted a great deal of weight off of my shoulders and has given me hope and something to look forward to.