LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS — Passengers on an Atlanta MARTA train cheered, took photos as two trans women were attacked and one stripped by a group of men who began harassing the duo prior to boarding the train on May 20th. No one on board the train called the police or transit authorities. However, cell phone video of the beating was posted online by a passenger.
Following an investigation, transit police late last week arrested Frederick L. Missick and Luther L. Thomas and charged them with disorderly conduct. They say the investigation is ongoing and more charges may be filed, however, very few people have come forward with information. People found at the scene were unresponsive transit authorities say.
The victims, Janell Crosby and Tyra Woods, say they were harassed because they were transgender and both repeatedly told the men to stop. While Crosby managed to hold off her attacker, Woods was stripped of her clothes.
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There were a number of sites showing the video, but some were pulled or censored. The one I used to get this screen shot came from an exploitative site, so I am not providing a link to it.
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Statement from MARTA: http://www.projectqatlanta.com/news_articles/view/marta_charges_second_man_in_transgender_attack?gid=15691
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You, too, can have your heart tugged by Lexie Cannes — an award-winning feature film about a transgender woman. Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963781332
LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS is associated with Wipe Out Transphobia: http://www.wipeouttransphobia.com/
Read Lexie Cannes in The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtney-odonnell/
Categories: Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Transphobia, exploitation, dehumanizing, violence, hate
LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS 
This is sick and sad on so many levels!
That’s heartbreaking.
This is disgusting and horrifying. My heart breaks for those poor women. I’ve had multiple people from the South question my burning need, as a queer person with a trans partner, to get as far away from here as possible as soon as possible, with “here” being Chattanooga. THIS is why. Because not a single person did anything to stop that horrific attack. Because Nazi rallies still happen here. Because I’m constantly afraid of who might find out who and what we are and want to hurt us as a result. I have been accused of being anti-South — she said that I was akin to being a racist — because of these fears, when I actually moved down here from the Northeast with an open heart and mind, wanting to see the best in people and dismiss stereotypes. My spouse and I only became jaded about this area after being repeatedly mistreated as queer people and non-Christians. It is just insane how few people will acknowledge the very real — and very violent — hatred and bigotry that still runs rampant here. I am very upset about this, and I want to share my outrage… I hope that is coming across, rather than seeming like I’m trying to derail. I will be keeping Janell and Tyra in my thoughts and prayers.
Come to St. Paul or Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is a larger percentage of LGBTQ population. We’d Love to have you!
Aww, thanks! We’re saving to get to the Pacific Northwest now. *HUGS*
You’ll love it here its one of the most trans friendly areas of the country. 🙂
The people who were in that car and cheering and not doing anything to help the 2 ladies should also be charged as well
Charged with “disorderly conduct”??? Really????? If I was the DA I would charge them with sexual assault and violent criminal assault! Horrible response from law enforcement here.
They are still investigating. I’m sure more charges will follow. It’s not like in TV, these things take time. It’s important it’s done right so the charges stick.
A shameful act of degradation of humiliation and ignorance by all involved. Hang your heads all involved and remember, what goes around, comes around, maybe not immediately but your turn will come and only then will I hope you will remember to consider it a lesson learned.
Make this a story about two gay men attacked, two lesbians or two cis women and its a whole different story. Fellow passengers would have ferociously attacked the attackers. But since its trans women – who are disposable in the eyes of the average person, the media and the law – you get this sick, horrific account of ignorance, bigotry and inhumanity. If I could find all those who simply watched or those who actively cheered, I would shame them before their friends, family, church, neighbors and employer as being less than human. Even their god would not have stood for this, for all the noise they make about him detesting anyone not “straight” or “normal”.
It’s a shame she wasn’t carrying a gun.
My own thought too!
LGBT people always want to show that they are not as bad as their enemy. That they are nice, peaceful and gentle! And not fearsome to others and potentially dangerous!
Well, enough with this, for what I am concerned! I am a T. who is not going to end up in the hospital! I will be arrested after using self-defense… the one who dares to attack me, will be either greatly hurt or dead!
I do not care to show how good a person I am in order for society to uphold my rights!
I shouldn’t have to!
I will not go down without my enemy following the same road!
This said, I choose to be peaceful but that can only happen within the boundaries of civilized behaviors.
Anyone who is not up to respect that, will not be treated this way!
The Transgender Mermaid (on Facebook)
My own thought too!
LGBT people always want to show that they are not as bad as their enemy. That they are nice, peaceful and gentle! And not fearsome to others and potentially dangerous!
Well, enough with this, for what I am concerned! I am a T. who is not going to end up in the hospital! I will be arrested after using self-defense… the one who dares to attack me, will be either greatly hurt or dead!
I do not care to show how good a person I am in order for society to uphold my rights!
I shouldn’t have to!
I will not go down without my enemy following the same road!
This said, I choose to be peaceful but that can only happen within the boundaries of civilized behaviors.
Anyone who is not up to respect that, will not be treated this way!
I am disgusted. Totally and utterly disgusted. One part of me is angry beyond words, and another part of me is scared as all get out. How many of us have used MARTA on our way to and from SOCO over the years? This could have been any one of us. We cannot give up our fight. We just can’t give up. These two women deserve everything that we and out allies can do to stop this hateful nonsense. My heart just aches . . . A thousand, thousand prayers from the deepest part of me goes up into the sky and may they all rain down and comfort these two women.
How many of us have used MARTA in Atlanta as we traveled to and from SOCO? This could have been you. Me. Anyone of us. I suppose there are those who will say that posting such news only fosters more fear in the trans*community. Well, it fosters more fear in me, that’s for sure. Some will also say that it feeds into the notion that trans*people are victims, and in this case, these two women clearly are victims of an irrational act of violence. Still others will say that posting such news distracts from all the hard work we’re doing to change laws across this country. I mean no offense to any of my ally friends, but I have heard more than one trans*woman say they believe that if the two victims on this train had been gay, lesbian, or cis women, that the other passengers would have either jumped in, called the police, or given eye-witness accounts to the police afterward. Instead, they stood by and did nothing to stop the attack, and then refused to talk to the authorities. Whether that is true or not, let’s hope we never have to find out. But one thing we do need to know is how can trans*women take responsibility for their own safety when, even if the they travel in pairs, they are still attacked right out in the open and no one is going to say anything? Do we have to travel in packs of six, eight, twelve . . . how many? Do we need to carry weapons and hope those attacking us aren’t? Won’t we almost surely be outnumbered and outmuscled every time?
This isn’t easy on any level.
I don’t know if there are any laws that can prevent something like this. But, I do know that when people are considered by law to be legitimate citizens with full constitutional rights, just like every other citizen, they tend to be treated with more respect. This means local ordinances need to be in place that point out that trans*people have the same rights as others. It means that non-discrimination policies in places where trans*people work need to include gender identity in their protections. It means that educational institutions must make sure that their trans*faculty and trans*students are included as full partners in the education process. It means that we must teach our students acceptance, because tolerance clearly isn’t enough. It means that places of worship must wake up to the fact that even if they consider trans*people to be an abomination, it does not mean they get to make it the law of the land.
It means parents, friends and family members must come together in support of their loved ones who are trans*.
There really can be no other way, because if this can happen to these two women, it can happen to any one of us.
My heart aches. I am angry. I am scared. I am tired. And I know that tomorrow morning the struggle for equality continues, and it is going to take everyone of us to achieve it.
But, for tonight, my love goes up into the sky for these two women, a thousand prayers and a thousand more, and may it all rain down upon these women and wash them clean and keep them safe now and forever more.
Peace, Char
P.S. Thank you, Lexie Cannes
You’re welcome.
I tried to watch the video last night but found it way too upsetting. My heart goes out to those poor girls
I am embarrassed to be from Atlanta after hearing this. Had i been on that train I would have called the police and asked the crowd what the hell is wrong with you people. SMH
And the good people of Atlanta just stood and watched. I know, I know, love thy enemy and turn the other cheek, but what a temptation to think, “Paging William T. Sherman, they haven’t learned their lesson yet. We need you to do that job again…”
it is a shame…INCREDIBLE !!!!
I have a similar story here in London UK.
I was being beaten by a beggar girl and set on by her dog. One of the Audience stole my bag with $4000 of camera equipment. Over 100 people watched and did NOTHING!.
I now have 6 dog bite holes in my legs. I was insured as I live in a Capital city; I shouted at the spectators, “You just watched a woman being eaten and robbed and YOU DID NOTHING!, I hate you all, as I chased after the robber and called 999 myself.
Glad i’m able to use Philly’s SEPTA without incident!
In the world in which we live in today, even with the advances we have made, is a sad place., two women dong no harm to anyone would be attacked such as this makes me ashamed.
To allow this to happen and to people cheer them on is beyond the scope of any decency, is there not one person on that train in that car that could have said and or simply held out a hand of compassion, what have we become where the news is more interested in what the weather is going to be than focus on this hate crime. To have Marta Police to charge them with Disorderly Conduct instead of a Hate Crime shows where Atlanta truly is mentally as a City.
Shame on those that stood by, Shame on those that did nothing but burn video, Shame on us as a Society to not scream louder and say “Protect us, as we are Atlanta, Protect us, we are a People”, if not we will have to do it on our own, and God forgive the man that tries to harm me and or any of my Friends, because you will feel the wrath of a Man that would have taken you and stomped your sorry selves and reached over and given you a big kiss on the lips as you laid there and said, “Behave, or you may not like whats next!