Today (November 20th) is the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, when candlelight vigils across the country are held to honor transgender victims of violence.
Perpetual Transition, the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center’s transgender support group, will hold a local vigil tonight at First Congregational Church at 7 p.m. Names of victims will be read, and there will be speakers.
Perhaps the most well-known local transgender violence victim was Duanna Johnson, the transgender woman who was beaten and called demeaning names by former Memphis Police officer Bridges McRae in 2008 after he had arrested her on alleged prostitution charges. Johnson was found dead from a gunshot wound in North Memphis later that year.
