Christian Paige Vigil Held in Chicago

Reported by Riki Anne Wilchins


CHICAGO, IL
May 17, 1996

Dozens of activists from across the queer spectrum held a demonstration/vigil in the heart of Chicago, Daley Center, for Christian Paige, a transexual woman murdered two months ago.

The event was staged to focus public attention on gender violence in general, and the savage murder of Ms. Paige in particular, which was totally ignored by local straight media. Ms. Paige was beaten severely, strangled, stabbed deeply in the chest between 15-25 times, and then the entire scene set afire. Her body was discovered when the Chicago Fire Department entered her apartment to put out the blaze.

While some activists carried posters covered with pictures of Ms. Paige headed "In Memoriam," others distributed more than 1,500 fliers to passersby [flier text follows].

No one has been arrested or charged for the murder, and despite the level of violence, Chicago Police have refused to classify it as a hate-crime.

Entire Queer Spectrum Turns Out

Present at the event was a cross section of the entire genderqueer community, including members of Transexual Menace NYC, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, and Tampa, It's Time Illinois, Transexual Menace Men, TOPS (the national organization for transgendered peace officers), Queer Nation, the Horizons Anti- Violence Project (AVP), and members of the lesbian, drag and crossdressing communities.

The demonstration/vigil was covered two reporters from the City Desk of the Chicago Sun- Times, all three local queer newspapers, and a local talk show which conducted on-site interviews. A number of members of the Chicago Police Department also attended, but, after discussions with a TOPS representative, were content to quietly observe and left activists in peace.

Speaking Out Against Violence

Declared local activist Miranda Stevens, vice-chair of It's Time Illinois, "The tragic murder of Christian Paige is the kind of that which results when a group of people are marginalized to the point of being considered less-than-human. We must continue to remind all of society that each and every transperson, is a real, valuable, and precious human being."

Stated Menace member Riki Anne Wilchins who helped organize the event: "Genderqueers are *not* disposable people and violence against us, whether we are transexual, drag, crossdressers, stone butches or nelly fags *will* draw a response. Someone will show up to say we will not go away, we will not be left behind, we will not disappear into the margins and we will not give in to violence."

Copy of Fliers Distributed During the Vigil

JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN PAIGE

On Friday, March 22 at 10pm, a lovely, young transexual woman was found savagely murdered in her Chicago apartment -- Christian Paige had been brutally beaten about the head and ears, strangled, and then stabbed deeply in her chest and breast area 15-25 times. The man who did this to her is still walking the Chicago streets.

We gather here today to remember Christian, and to declare we will no longer submit quietly to the violence and hatred that stalks transpeople, lesbians, gays, and other genderqueers:

Brandon Teena - Falls City, NB Brandon was murdered just days after he was severely beaten and raped multiple times; stabbed in the chest as he slept, Brandon was then shot pointblank, execution-style, in the head.

Deborah Forte - Haverhill, MA Deborah was discovered by her roommate early on the morning of May 15; she had suffered three stab wounds to the chest, each half a foot deep, numerous slash wounds across her breasts and chest, a smashed nose, multiple severe blows to her head and face, and partial strangulation.

Channel Picket - Watertown, MA One of two beautiful, 23 year-old transexual twin sisters, Channel was found strangled to death in her apartment following a date, early on the morning of Monday, November 20.

Tyra Hunter - Washington, DC On August 7, Tyra was struck and fatally injured in a car accident. An EMS technician cut open her pants, found she had a penis, stopped treating her and began making jokes to the crowd!

Transpeople are not "disposable people."

Sponsored by: The Transexual Menace - A direct action group dedicated to gender, affectional and racial equality.


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