(The unidentified trans woman) Chrissy Lee Poliswas brutally assaulted by two McDonald's patrons in Maryland while the majority of the employees stood by and watched the violence take place. At one point, one of the employees even began to laugh at the scene.
I bring this video to your attention for two reasons.
1. It's fucked up. The two patrons who committed this violence should be arrested. McDonalds should be forced to implement a cultural sensitivity training/bystander intervention training for all of their store managers. This woman deserves justice and compensation for her medical bills.
2. Racism still affects how these stories are shared and analyzed especially in the queer community. Want evidence?:
This comment was on the popular blog Bilerico for a while after the story first broke. I know that online commentary is notoriously full of bigotry, but COME ON. This is a progressive queer blog, not youtube. Thankfully the comment was removed in time, but nevertheless I still had to read it, as I'm sure other people of color had to as well.
If this video had been of two white cis women attacking a white trans woman, everyone would have analyzed it as solely transphobic. No one's race would have been used as reasoning for the act of violence. And the label transphobia would not have been attributed to all white people.
This video is terrible. I hope the victim receives justice. But I also hope I can interact with my community without having to constantly worry about if the color of my skin makes people uncomfortable.
TAKE ACTION:
Sign this petition AND call the phone number to the Maryland: Violent Crimes Division 410-887-6610
No comments:
Post a Comment