Yesterday I read about a transgender man who was shot to death ‘allegedly’ by his in-laws.
As a transgender man, when I hear of another trans person being killed, my heart clenches in a deep sadness. An unspoken connection of identity becomes realized in a physical reaction of pain every single time.
The rates of intimate partner violence against transgender men are astonishing. That is to say, only for those who’ve ever cared enough to dig beneath the surface of what it is to live a trans life truly and to learn about what that can potentially bring into a transgender person’s world in terms of hate. In terms of murder by in-laws, this is the first that I am aware of.
Many of us who are trans know all too well when a partner’s family isn’t supportive. We understand what it is like when people attempt to reframe things about our character that are untrue, so when I read about what happened, I knew I’d have to read 10 to 15 different news articles to see how much of his backstory was included and what publications included it, since the focal person of the story is now deceased and cannot defend himself in the press.
You see, what happens to a lot of transgender people is that cisgender people attempt to control our narratives while we are living and also in death.
Considering I am a transgender publicist, I would caution everyone reading about what happened to Jonathan McKinsey to think critically about where you are getting your news and trusting it as factual, and to see how many of the details leading to this awful situation from McKinsey’s point of view are either included or excluded to fit exactly what patriarchal and anti-trans ideological narratives.
Reporting on anything outside of the truth regarding this or any other matter regarding violence in relation to transgender identities would do a complete disservice to an entire community of peaceful transgender people who coexist with cisgender people civilly in society daily.
Recommended Reading
ABOUT DYLAN THOMAS COTTER:
Rebel with a cause, driven by authenticity, self-expression, and liberation for all.
Rev. Dylan Thomas Cotter is a strategist, public relations leader, and brand communications executive with more than fifteen years of experience at the intersection of entertainment, media, and technology.
Cotter is known for securing numerous Tier 1 (top-tier) and Tier 2 media placements across key markets including but not limited to:
The Associated Press, Fortune, Playboy, GQ, Rolling Stone, ABC News, Out Magazine, The Advocate, Pride, Inked Magazine, Real Simple, VICE, KTLA, Reader’s Digest, Mashable, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Life UK, Newsweek, Men’s Health, Parade Magazine, Betches, U.S. News & World Report, Women’s Health Magazine, Women.com, South China Morning Post, Truthout, MIC, The Manual, Curl Magazine, International BusinessTimes UK, TechRound, GB News, The Irish Star US, The Mirror US, Daily Express U.S., MSN, AOL, UNILAD, Morning Honey, News9Live, Business Times, ClickOrlando, News4JAX, East Bay Times, Newsday, Midland Reporter-Telegram, El Paso Inc., SRN News, WRAL, Marietta Daily Journal, Yahoo, YourValley, Henry Herald, Times Union, TheIndependent, INkl, Netscape, WSB Radio, Taylorville Daily News, The Seattle Times, FOX Illinois, The Gazette, Stamford Advocate, New Haven Register, CT Post, Lakeland Today, SFGATE, WSLS 10, NC News Online, Courier News, Delco Times, The Republic, StarBeacon, Daily Journal, Temple Daily Telegram, The Toronto Star, WJTV, Winnipeg FreePress, KFOR, TribLIVE, The Hour, KTAR, WTOP, Daily Press, MyStateline, SeattlePI, NewsChannel 20, The Mercury News, Oskaloosa Herald, The Korea Times, MyNorthwest, Greenfield Reporter, Antigo Journal, Voice of Alexandria, Union-Bulletin, Gwinnett Daily Post, WBAL, WVNews, YourSourceOne, WINK News, Mankato Free Press, Audacy, Goshen News, KRQE, HNG News, CBS 17, FOX 40, KSNT, Western SlopeNow, FOX 44 News, KDVR, News 13, WGN Radio, NVDaily, MyMotherLode.com, The Hamilton Spectator, Daily News-Record, The Washington Times, KTVO, DailyIndependent, WFMJ, Fine Day Radio, WSB-TV, Local 10, Messenger-Inquirer, Click2Houston, The News-Item, KSAT, OA Online, KIRO 7, The Sun Chronicle, KARK, RiverBender, Laredo Morning Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The News-Times, CTInsider, Beaumont Enterprise, Manistee News Advocate, The Telegraph, Michigan’s Thumb, Chron, KHQA, The Intelligencer, EverythingLubbock, The Virginian-Pilot, MyPlainview, Your Conroe News, GMToday, WFMZ, SSBCrack News, Wenatchee World, News 10, Emirates 24/7, VIN News, Hartford Courant, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Silicon Valley, Ground News, Japan Today, The Washington Post, Boston 25 News, Butler Eagle, Livingston Enterprise, Ottumwa Courier, Dayton Daily News, LimaOhio, Guard Online, 990 The Answer, Indianapolis Business Journal, PHL17, ABC27, EDGE Media Network, Telemundo Nebraska, The Columbian, 1010 WINS, WPHT, KY W Newsradio, WB C O Radio, WBBM Newsradio, KMOX, WWJ Newsradio, KNX News 97.1 FM, WTIC, WWL, KMBZ, WILK Newsradio, WBEN, Talk 1370, WPXI, Times Leader, ABC4
His latest books, Dear Cisgender Reader Walk Beside Me: An Invitation to Understanding My Big, Exciting Gay Transgender Life and Think Like a Transgender Thought Leader, are out now.