This post reminded me of an unfortunate fact: that most systems of justice DO and OFTEN fail transgendered peoples when it comes to equal justice under The Law.

There are many instances of disparate treatment of criminals where the victim was a transgendered individual.
“But honey, that makes ALL the difference”.

As Cassandra points to, Case Law records legal argument around the transgendered individuals “disclosure” or absence thereof.

Meanwhile, down at the bar….
Hi sweetie. Can I buy you a drink? My name’s Jack. How are you.
About me? mmm
I had eggs & bacon for breakfast,on my way back from the synagogue,
I don’t use deodorant and off-hours I’m (pause) an Axe Murderer. What about you sweetie?

A criminal gets “Life” if its “anyone” but only 5 years minimum security with wide-screen TV and a mini-bar should the victim be (God Forbid) transgendered.
“Oh you poor thing. You must have got an awful shock when its wig fell off. WHAT??? He took his pants off and their was no penis!!!! Oh my!!!!

Disclosure might just be an issue particularly when there’s murdering Human Garbage lurking out there. But this guy knew! and most people DO or WILL. and what the f&& anyway. Good is GOOD and BAD is EVIL.

The Human race can be a pitiful bunch sometimes. Like our fears around anything that’s “different”. How some of use such things for the purpose of self-optimization or as a means to “belong” to some group or another.

I celebrate. We are ALL human.
with the exception of
Murdering Human Garbage etc etc
Doh
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I *heart* you, Monique. I hope to meet you someday. Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. xoxo Cass

I will not pretend to “understand” the crushing victimization that the transgendered population must inherently feel in response to such a loathsome event. Nor am I so phony as to imagine that I can “feel your pain.” Being a straight guy, I incur no risk of such harm; and I will not proclaim to be some kind of honorary member of such an “alternative” class of people just so I can conveniently share in your fear and anger. Nevertheless, an act like this should be condemned by everyone, not merely because of its blatant inhumanity, but because it diminishes us as a society. It is reflective of a hypocritical and sadistic set of social norms that has permeated our culture for far too long. Women in this country did not secure the right to vote until their male counterparts had already enjoyed such a right for over a century and a-half. Fifty years ago, women in this country still did not have the legal status of a person. They were adjudged incompetent to enter into contracts and considered the legal property of their husbands. For many years, a battered woman had no recourse against her abusive husband and no defense if she acted to protect herself, while a man who killed his cheating wife was at least partially excused for having acted “in the heat of passion.” Today, both nationally and internationally, women are forced to work in sweatshops as a cheap labor source; they are sold as sex slaves; they are vilified and objectified by corporations in the sale of their products; and our government still refuses to pass an Equal Rights or Human Rights Amendment to our Constitution. Enforcement agencies, in their infinite wisdom, spend inordinate resources chasing prostitutes off street corners and Craigslist, but tighten their wallets when it comes to protecting those women from their pimps. And while women are at least purportedly benefitted by sex discrimination laws, transgendered persons for the most part are not. This animal who bashed in the face of an 18 year old girl because of her biology is essentially the culmination of such norms. It is not enough to chalk this off as an isolated incident perpetrated by a singularly despicable individual acting on a particularly twisted sense of morality and ego-driven animosity. Society has taught this man, along with the rest of us, that only the dreams, hopes and ambitions of straight men are worthy of respect and recognition. And once a class of people is diminished, whether it is the Jews under Hitler, the Japanese during WW II, or today’s transgendered population, the message comes through loud and clear that they are subject to indiscriminate attack. But rest assured, Cassandra, that there are many of us who judge the worth of every person by what lies within their soul and not by the nature of their occupation or how they chose to achieve sexual gratification. Continue to be what you are out of love and compassion, not hate; our chance to become a better people depends on it.
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Mike… Thank you, Cass

This is a very sad and frightening crime. It makes me wonder how many times something like this has happened but didn’t make the evening news. How many times have transgendered women (as well as gays and lesbians) been physically or psychologically abused in this country (and world) while few cared or noticed or even thought that it was wrong to abuse them. If the crime is not murder in some media-sensationalizable way then it won’t make the evening news and hence won’t be included on our cultural agenda as other hate crimes have been.
The murder of Angie is a personal tragedy in the face of the ongoing social tragedy of our human capacity to compartmentalize evil acts. After reading about Andrade’s murder of poor Angie I have a hard time thinking of him as anything but a human disaster, yet he may have been viewed by his family and friends as a decent person. He is the product of a society which is still largely tolerates homophobia as a social norm and because of this, there are probably many Andrades walking amoung us; invisible to us because we see them as friendly and decent people. Throughout history from the holicaust, slavery, African and Asian genocides “good people” have commited heinous acts against individuals and groups by rationalizing their irrational hatred. I don’t think that it is enough for society to merely tolerate gay and transgendered individuals, which is gradually the case, but it must also begin to embrace people within the continuum of sexual orientation as legitimate and essential expressions of the human condition. Andrade and those like him may be the focus of our anger when their crimes are uncovered but let us not miss the forest for the trees. Until we begin seeing same sex romances and torrid encounters on television and in the theaters, as we now do with heterosexual couplings, there won’t be enough cultural drift toward acceptance of non herterosexual people to reach a tipping point of inclusion. We need progress toward unhypocritical acceptance of homosexuality before it’s safe for everyone to be themselves and want a lover and otherwise normal life; and that is the tragic context of Angie’s murder.
Brian
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Thanks for such a thoughtful and heartfelt response. It’s good to know people care more about than just sex. *HUG* Cass

Gary
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Thanks Gary *hug* Cass