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CBC
03-05-2025
- CBC
The killing of trans man Sam Nordquist was devastating to me. Because it could happen in Canada too
Social Sharing This First Person column is the experience of Elliott Long, a trans Manitoban and co-director of Trans Manitoba. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ. WARNING: This column contains references to suicide and transphobic violence. Last year, during Pride weekend, my husband and I were outside watering our garden when an unprovoked man pulled up in his truck, got out and walked toward us. He began calling us "disgusting freaks," and said we were "ruining society." "Look at you!" he continued to yell at us. Sadly, this wasn't an isolated incident. As a trans person, my family and I face casual transphobia on a regular basis. Sometimes even physical violence as well. Trans and nonbinary people are routinely targeted for violence. There are a lot of people who view trans people as reasonable subjects for ridicule, sexual harassment and violent assault. A lot of people. Just for being alive. Recently, Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old Black trans man, was kidnapped, repeatedly tortured and killed in New York state. Seven people have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with his death. Someone whose body is similar to mine, brutally tortured. There are just no words that can accurately represent the devastating and fearful impact Sam's death has had on me. Sam's sister Kayla Nordquist has said that after he was reported missing, police didn't take the calls seriously. They told his sister to "stop watching so much TV" and that it was not a "true crime episode." Our trans masculine population still needs protecting. According to court records, the perpetrators routinely poured bleach, a whitening agent, on Sam's skin. But police have said there's no evidence at this stage that this was a hate crime. Aggravated sexual assault is a violent and deliberate assault that aims to strip all victims of their dignity — and transmasculine people, specifically, of their dignity and masculine identity. But it's "not a hate crime." These are not random acts of violence. The district attorney has said that this case is "so much bigger" than a hate crime. Yes, it is. It's part of a much larger systemic problem rooted in racism, white supremacy and misogyny. It's about a culture that continues to teach people to view actual human lives as disposable. A legacy of hatred and violence North America was built on the forced labour of Black people. African people were stolen from their homes, families and cultures. They were harshly abused for the benefit of a capitalist system that still prioritizes wealth and power over the ethical treatment of our fellow humans. This continent's foundation is soaked in the violence and suffering that Black people have endured — enslaved, stripped of rights, considered legal property. It's North America's history that has laid the foundation for these racist and transphobic attitudes and left a legacy that fuels the hatred and violence that is directed at marginalized people today. It feels like there has been a rise in violent crime against trans people. That is consistent with the rise of fascism and the growing popularity and acceptance of alt-right political groups. The rhetoric from public figures like U.S. President Donald Trump has worsened this situation. His words and policies have given hate a green light — a permission of sorts — for white supremacists to pounce. This isn't just an issue in the United States. It's a dangerous, growing problem here in Canada too, that will not fix itself without serious action. White people cannot stay silent. Cisgender people cannot stay silent. - Elliott Long Right below Canada in New York state was where Sam had his life taken from him. Sam was kidnapped and held captive for an entire month before his killing. Then he was discarded as though he were less than human. Sam's loving family had their son stolen from them. I have three children. As parents, we have the devastating task of preparing our children for a world where hatred is normalized and even reinforced by the very systems that are supposed to protect us and others. We have the complicated task of trying to protect them and preserve their innocence, while also ensuring they are taught not just tolerance, but acceptance. Because we are talking about actual human beings who simply do not deserve this treatment in any context. We need to be louder. We need to demand that our world is one where we protect and look after our most vulnerable people. A world where our most vulnerable people know that their lives are valuable and that has nothing to do with capital. Disabled people. Trans women of colour. Sex workers, especially, are often the victims of brutal violence, and their deaths are too frequently ignored. Their lives were valuable. Sam's life was valuable, and this should have never happened. White people cannot stay silent. Cisgender people cannot stay silent. You cannot ignore the problem any longer. This is not about just being appalled at the horror that Sam and others have endured; it's about breaking down the higher systems that continue to perpetuate and make room for this violence and never allowing them to do it again. If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Stand up for our lives': Winnipeg vigil honours trans, non-binary people who recently died in U.S.
The glow of lit candles illuminated a transgender and non-binary flag displayed at a Winnipeg vigil, along with the faces of community members mourning the loss of three people in the U.S. who organizers say recently died as a result of transphobic violence. The vigil, which was held on the steps at the Manitoba Legislative Building on a cold Friday evening, honoured the lives lost south of the border and, according to organizers, reinforced the need for Manitobans to stand in solidarity against harmful rhetoric parroted in Canada. "Our trans kids deserve to grow into trans adults and our trans adults deserve to grow into trans elders. We deserve to live," said Charlie Eau, who co-organized the vigil on behalf of Trans Manitoba, a non-profit dedicated to transgender outreach, equity and advocacy. Eau was among roughly 20 people who joined to underline the kind words from the families and communities shared on social media in remembrance of Sam Nordquist, Tahiry Broom and Elisa Rae Shupe. Nordquist, 24, was a transgender man from Minnesota who was killed while travelling in New York. Investigators found Nordquist's remains on Feb. 13 and believe he was subjected to physical abuse between December 2024 and February 2025, according to a news release from the New York State Police. Broom, 29, was a transgender woman who was shot near an apartment complex in Michigan on Feb. 9, a news release said. Shupe, who was a non-binary person, army veteran and the first U.S. citizen to change their legal sex to non-binary, committed suicide on Jan. 27, and left a note explaining their reasons. Railing against the racism and anti-trans agenda of the country they served, Shupe wrote: "You cannot erase non-binary and transgender people because you give birth to more of us each day." Eau said it's both terrifying and dangerous how a "rapid onslaught of targeted hate" has affected the gender-diverse community in the U.S. and the way this rhetoric is influencing the political atmosphere in Canada. Last month U.S. President Donald Trump repealed 78 executive orders made by his predecessor, Joe Biden, including those combating discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ rights. Trump declared that the U.S. will only recognize two sexes, male and female, and signed orders ending gender-affirming care for people under 19 years old, which was recently blocked by a federal judge, and barring transgender women from women's sports. When asked last month about Trump's executive orders, federal Progressive Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said he was "only aware of two" genders, adding that he believes the government should let people "make their own personal decisions." There are at least 100,000 people in Canada who have reported being transgender or non-binary, according to the 2021 census. Poilievre and Manitoba PC leadership candidates Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan are politicians "who openly parrot the rhetoric of American politicians who are targeting queer and transgender people in ways that are impacting our lives, our jobs, our ability to be employed and housed and educated," Eau said, pointing to Khan's role in the PCs' parental rights campaign in the 2023 election. In 2021, Wally Daudrich referred to U.S. assistant health secretary Rachel Levine as a trans woman, as a "man dressed in woman's clothing. "It's a really scary and precarious time for trans and non-binary people across Turtle Island regardless of the border," Eau said. Trevor Kirczenow co-organized the vigil to remember the victims. He said it's unfortunate to see transphobic rhetoric and policies from U.S. politicians influence Canadians leaders. (Santiago Arias Orozco/CBC) Trevor Kirczenow, a transgender man who helped organize the vigil, said it's unfortunate to see Canadian politicians use harmful language toward the gender -diverse community in ways that threaten their livelihood, well-being and safety. "I think words are important and when we hear our leaders, our politicians speaking like that, it affects our community and it affects the way that trans and non-binary people are treated," he said. Both organizers planned the vigil to remember the victims and remind Manitobans that transgender people deserve to be respected, valued, cared for and seen as equal. The vigil was also meant to show transgender people that they are loved and supported within their community, despite harmful beliefs that say otherwise. "We are here to remember them and I don't want any more people to have their lives ended in that same way," Kirczenow said. Miguel Stamato attended the vigil in Winnipeg to honour the lives of three recent victims of transgender violence in the U.S. (Santiago Arias Orozco/CBC) Miguel Stamato held up a sign calling for justice at the vigil saying that he was deeply saddened by the stories of those who died in the U.S. "It's hard to come across ideas that believe that some people should have less rights than others, and it's just so repressive. It's a sad thing to think and I hope that a year from now we'll look back at this as a horrible time and remember things not to be repeated," Stamato said. Steph Adamob said they attended the vigil for the people who couldn't be there to show support for the victims, and to try to be the adult that they needed while growing up. When navigating anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric, Adamob said it's been helpful to have a "thick skin because you will get comments, you will get questions, you will find yourself in situations where you're not comfortable." Adamob said it's also helpful to have a sense of humour and be surrounded by a community filled with love and encouragement during challenging times. "We're gonna get through this together," they said. "We are a strong and vibrant community."
CBC
22-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
'Stand up for our lives': Winnipeg vigil honours trans, non-binary people who recently died in U.S.
The glow of lit candles illuminated a transgender and non-binary flag displayed at a Winnipeg vigil, along with the faces of community members mourning the loss of three people in the U.S. who organizers say recently died as a result of transphobic violence. The vigil, which was held on the steps at the Manitoba Legislative Building on a cold Friday evening, honoured the lives lost south of the border and, according to organizers, reinforced the need for Manitobans to stand in solidarity against harmful rhetoric parroted in Canada. "Our trans kids deserve to grow into trans adults and our trans adults deserve to grow into trans elders. We deserve to live," said Charlie Eau, who co-organized the vigil on behalf of Trans Manitoba, a non-profit dedicated to transgender outreach, equity and advocacy. Eau was among roughly 20 people who joined to underline the kind words from the families and communities shared on social media in remembrance of Sam Nordquist, Tahiry Broom and Elisa Rae Shupe. Nordquist, 24, was a transgender man from Minnesota who was killed while travelling in New York. Investigators found Nordquist's remains on Feb. 13 and believe he was subjected to physical abuse between December 2024 and February 2025, according to a news release from the New York State Police. Broom, 29, was a transgender woman who was shot near an apartment complex in Michigan on Feb. 9, a news release said. Shupe, who was a non-binary person, army veteran and the first U.S. citizen to change their legal sex to non-binary, committed suicide on Jan. 27, and left a note explaining their reasons. Railing against the racism and anti-trans agenda of the country they served, Shupe wrote: "You cannot erase non-binary and transgender people because you give birth to more of us each day." Eau said it's both terrifying and dangerous how a "rapid onslaught of targeted hate" has affected the gender-diverse community in the U.S. and the way this rhetoric is influencing the political atmosphere in Canada. Last month U.S. President Donald Trump repealed 78 executive orders made by his predecessor, Joe Biden, including those combating discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ rights. Trump declared that the U.S. will only recognize two sexes, male and female, and signed orders ending gender-affirming care for people under 19 years old, which was recently blocked by a federal judge, and barring transgender women from women's sports. When asked last month about Trump's executive orders, federal Progressive Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said he was "only aware of two" genders, adding that he believes the government should let people "make their own personal decisions." There are at least 100,000 people in Canada who have reported being transgender or non-binary, according to the 2021 census. Poilievre and Manitoba PC leadership candidates Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan are politicians "who openly parrot the rhetoric of American politicians who are targeting queer and transgender people in ways that are impacting our lives, our jobs, our ability to be employed and housed and educated," Eau said, pointing to Khan's role in the PCs' parental rights campaign in the 2023 election. In 2021, Wally Daudrich referred to U.S. assistant health secretary Rachel Levine as a trans woman, as a "man dressed in woman's clothing. "It's a really scary and precarious time for trans and non-binary people across Turtle Island regardless of the border," Eau said. Trevor Kirczenow, a transgender man who helped organize the vigil, said it's unfortunate to see Canadian politicians use harmful language toward the gender -diverse community in ways that threaten their livelihood, well-being and safety. "I think words are important and when we hear our leaders, our politicians speaking like that, it affects our community and it affects the way that trans and non-binary people are treated," he said. Both organizers planned the vigil to remember the victims and remind Manitobans that transgender people deserve to be respected, valued, cared for and seen as equal. The vigil was also meant to show transgender people that they are loved and supported within their community, despite harmful beliefs that say otherwise. "We are here to remember them and I don't want any more people to have their lives ended in that same way," Kirczenow said. Miguel Stamato held up a sign calling for justice at the vigil saying that he was deeply saddened by the stories of those who died in the U.S. "It's hard to come across ideas that believe that some people should have less rights than others, and it's just so repressive. It's a sad thing to think and I hope that a year from now we'll look back at this as a horrible time and remember things not to be repeated," Stamato said. Steph Adamob said they attended the vigil for the people who couldn't be there to show support for the victims, and to try to be the adult that they needed while growing up. When navigating anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric, Adamob said it's been helpful to have a "thick skin because you will get comments, you will get questions, you will find yourself in situations where you're not comfortable." Adamob said it's also helpful to have a sense of humour and be surrounded by a community filled with love and encouragement during challenging times.
