Orange is the New Black star and vocal trans activist Laverne Cox has taken to social media to raise awareness of murdered trans people being deadnamed and misgendered by authorities.
In an emotional post on instagram, the Emmy-nominated actress spoke about her past contemplation of suicide, revealing the steps she took to ensure she'd be recognised as her authentic self.
"I was planning to have a note in my pocket at the time of my death and several other notes in my home which would state my name, preferred gender pronouns and that I should be referred to as a woman in my death," she wrote.
RECOMMENDED
Laverne Cox opens up about finding love
"My note would be clear that I should not be referred to as Laverne Cox only, not any other name."
She continued: "Being misgendered and deadnamed in my death felt like it would be the ultimate insult to the psychological and emotional injuries I was experiencing daily as a black trans woman in New York City, the injuries that made me want to take my own life."
Cox was prompted to share the heartfelt message after reading a recently published exploring the shootings of four black trans women in Jacksonville, Florida this year.
"I used to share a lot more on social media about the murders of trans folks," she wrote.
"I don’t as much now because its retraumatising for me to constantly live in this space of death, murder and the injustices that lead to these deaths. As I read this report from ProPublica I sobbed and wept for all the trans people who have been murdered and those experiencing direct, cultural and structural violence. I wept because I haven’t been allowing myself to. I wept for all of the violence I have experienced in my own life.
"I am angered, saddened and enraged that the police in Jacksonville, Florida and other jurisdictions don’t have policies in place to respect the gender identities of trans folks when they have been MURDERED. This misgendering and deadnaming also impedes the investigations into these murders. Injustice on top of injustice!
Cox continued, saying that misgendering or deadnaming trans people is a form of "cultural and structural violence".
"The police misgendering and deadnaming trans murder victims as a matter of policy feels like a really good example of that cultural and structural violence."
The actress then encouraged her followers to read the ProPublica report, thanking the organisation for their in-depth research.
"Please read and share and join with local trans organisations demanding that police do better on this issue and many others."
