Claudia Sheinbaum sworn in as Mexico’s first female president

The Spanish version of this article is available here.

Gaby Ortiz, a famous transgender stylist from Hidalgo, an unidentified trans woman from Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Vanesa, a trans woman from Coatzacoalcos, Miriam Rios, activist and transgender committee member of the Movimiento Ciudadano party in Michoacán, Samantha Fonseca, trans activist and human rights defender Mexico City defender was murdered in the first 15 days of this year.

People belonging to the LGBTTTIQ+ group protested outside the National Palace against the escalation of violence and hate crimes against transgender people.

Trans activist Victoria Samano condemned hate speech by leaders, officials and public representatives targeting transgender people and called on the president to condemn the violence.

“We demand that you, as representatives of this country, stand up against the violence experienced by transgender people.” – Victoria Samano, trans activist and founder of LLECA (Listening to the Street)

The National Observatory for Hate Crimes Against LGBTQI+ People defines hate crimes as culturally entrenched, systematic and socially pervasive crimes based on negative prejudice and prejudice associated with unfair disadvantage. It is defined as an act of disrespect towards an individual or a group of people, which has a harmful effect on people’s psyche. Fundamental rights and freedoms, whether intentional or unintentional.

“We are not only demonstrating against these deaths, but also for the urgent passage of comprehensive trans legislation aimed at impacting education, housing, health and jobs for transgender people. We also demand that all of these legislative measures favorable to sexually diverse people remain silent. Yet they have done nothing and have no clear position on violence against LGBTTTIQ+ people, even though they have boasted of being left-wing for six years. We have expressed our commitment to support and support those in vulnerable positions.” – Victoria Samano, trans activist and founder of LLECA (Listening to the Street)

This wave of trans femicide comes in the context of increased violence and attacks against LGBTTTIQ+ people, including activists and public figures such as Nicte Chávez and Paola Suárez, and widespread hate speech against trans women and LGBTTTIQ+ people by public officials. It is occurring in According to Letra Ese data, there were 58 murders of LGBTTTIQ+ people in 2023, of which 35 were trans women.