HRC Mourns Serenity Hollis, Black Transgender Woman Killed in Albany, Georgia
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Serenity Hollis, a 24-year-old Black transgender woman who was shot and killed in Albany, Georgia, on May 8, 2021. Serenity’s death is at least the 25th violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported or misreported.
According to social media, Serenity was from Orlando, Florida, and moved to Albany, Georgia, in 2019. Serenity’s mother Robyn Osberry said that “the person that’s responsible has no idea what they took from us.I absolutely want to see that justice is served.”
HRC Mourns Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, Indigenous Non-Binary Person Killed in Pennsylvania
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old Indigenous non-binary person shot to death in York, Pennsylvania.
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, a 41-year-old Indigenous non-binary person shot to death in York, Pennsylvania. Whispering Wind was shot late in the evening on May 3 and died early on May 4. Their death is at least the 22nd violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported or misreported.
HRC Mourns Sophie Vásquez, Latina Transgender Woman Killed in Georgia
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Sophie Vásquez, a 36-year-old Latina transgender woman who was shot and killed in Brookhaven, Georgia, on May 4.
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Sophie Vásquez, a 36-year-old Latina transgender woman who was shot and killed in Brookhaven, Georgia, on May 4. Her death is at least the 23rd violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported or misreported.
According to
El Nuevo Georgia, Sophie was a part of the EsTr (El / La) Community, or Community Estrella, a community that works to support transgender people in the Atlanta area. The Community has organized a vigil, to be held on May 12, in honor of Sophie. Friends and family are also remembering Sophie on social media, with one sharing that Sophie was “the kindest person on the planet.” Another said,
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz also tweeted a picture in which “Mother’s” was erased and replaced by “Birthing People’s”:
Happy Birthing People’s Day! pic.twitter.com/2GbFenjmGr
As a result of the criticism, Snopes readers asked us if this means that Democrats really are attempting to replace “Mother’s Day” with the term “Birthing People’s Day.”
We learned that these claims are false.
The Democratic Party has not announced, revealed, or demonstrated any plans to replace the term “Mother’s Day” with any other phrase. On May 9, 2021, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement using only the term “Mother’s Day.” When Bush tweeted using the term “birthing people,” it was in order to be more inclusive of transgender people, including transgender men and gender-nonconforming people who also give birth, she later explained.
HRC Mourns Keri Washington, Black Transgender Woman Killed in Clearwater, Florida
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Keri Washington, a 49-year-old Black transgender woman, who was found dead in Clearwater, Florida, on May 1, 2021.
HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Keri Washington, a 49-year-old Black transgender woman, who was found dead in Clearwater, Florida, on May 1, 2021. Keri’s death is at least the 20th violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported or misreported. Keri’s death marks the second known killing of a Black transgender woman in Florida this year, following Alexus Braxton in Miami on February 4.