Nikki Kuhnhausen was 17 when she was murdered last year, in what police officers believe was an act of anti-trans violence. Now friends, family, and LGBTQ+ people are coming together to honor her and change the legal system. Blair Stenvick

Comments

1

Nikki's death is so hard to process and I didn't know her or her family. Too many thoughts and I feel incapable of expressing them effectively, but know I have to try. I was at the Vancouver service with my best friend, we went because we wanted Nikki's family to know their community cared and that Nikki's life and death mattered.

Nikki and her generation inspire me with courage by being themselves. I wasn't that courageous until I was in my 50's. I delayed not because I was afraid of violence but of social ostracization. It wasn't Nikki per say that gave me the courage to be me, but it was girls in her generation expressing the courage I lacked that gave me my strength.

The article talks about how many trans women are murdered in America every year, but Nikki was here. She was murdered here. In our community. This young beautiful soul was taken from us all because she was herself.

The idea of Trans-Panic being a defense (excuse) for murdering a child is incomprehensible to me. As a Transwoman if I "advertise" my status I'm accuse flaunting it and attract fetish seekers, if I keep it private I'm accused of being a "trap" - I'm not either and neither was Nikki, we are people with faults and talents to be loved as people.

I cry every time I'm reminded of Nikki. I'm reminded to be "safer." To be less myself, to stay vigilant, to close myself off from new people. Trans-Panic - yes we panic when we see new people, when we go out in public, but we do it. The alternative is to succumb to fear and stop living, it's just one more thing that makes our suicide rate so high.

2

Wonderful comment, Kelli Beth.

Thank you for writing this article, Blair.

3

This is fucked. Thank you Kelli. We need to work psychologically, socially politically against this horseshit

5

@4 - A crime not to disclose they're LGBT?

Breaking it down L & G - disclose? So Gay men and Lesbians should say they're same sex attracted? I'd think that dating same sex partners would give it away. Are you saying that people who later in life figure out their sexuality while in straight relationships are "criminals?"

The B - Binary folks aren't allowed to be in relationships without saying they're Bi? Why? Bi doesn't mean they aren't able to commit.

T - So any trans person who meets every single potential partner has to say "I'm Trans" right off? Gee on an article about a Trans woman being MURDERED when the lunatic allegedly found out she was Trans... Are you high? Are you stupid? Do you just have so much hate for us that you want us dead? WTF are you even thinking????

Finally HOW DARE YOU? You are saying it's Nikki's fault she's dead for being herself. That is seriously f*cked up.


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