This week saw the killer of 18-year old Angie Zapata, Allen Andrade sentenced to life in prison. Zapata who was transgendered was beaten to death by Andrade, first with his fists and then with a fire extinguisher in a particularly brutal fashion. You can see the families reaction, here.
The struggle for equality for transgendered people is one that will be mired in controversy for a long time to come, I think-- even as there's been a flood of marriage equality laws enacted across the country, there's increasing debate over what are being called 'bathroom bills' in some states, designed to prevent transgendered people from using the bathrooms that they identify with. Personally, if I'm in the bathroom, I'm not hangin' out at a social occasion. Same thing with a locker room: I'm there to do my business and get out. So to me, it's really not that big of a deal who uses the bathroom. I'm going to do my thing, they can do their thing- everyone's happy!
But apparently this matters.
And just so we're clear: controversy over transgendered issues isn't necessarily ideological- one just has to look at the now long-running debate over the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival to see that.
But whatever the status of transgendered rights in this country, the conviction of Allen Andrade is at least, justice for the murder of Angie Zapata. And despite being born out of a brutal tragedy, that can only be seen as a step in the right direction.
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