June 4, 2011

The Hate Crime of Cece McDonald

CeCe McDonald, an African American transwoman and LGBTQ activist from Minneapolis, came to media attention when she accepted a plea bargain of 41 months for second-degree manslaughter against a man who had harassed her with transphobic and racist comments. The man and his girlfriend had attacked and brutally beaten Ms. McDonald, and his death days later resulted from a wound that was inflicted during the attack. Ms. McDonalds was placed in a men's prison and served 19 months. This event is representative of the intensely disproportional amount violence inflicted on trans women of color.

HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL RACISM?:

Despite being the victim of the attack, McDonald was criminalized for self-defense, which would have been highly unlikely if she were a white women.

For more on Cece McDonald's case, see "The Case of CeCe McDonald: Murder or Self-Defense Against a Hate Crime? "