On September 10th, conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, was shot in Utah on his “Prove Me Wrong” tour. But, somehow, trans Americans were dragged into this tragedy we had nothing to do with, on the tongues of conspiracists and bigots who wanted nothing more than to satiate their hunger and blame someone for the murder.
The shooting occurred not long after Kirk responded to a guest who asked how many trans shooters there were in the past ten years. “Too many,” Kirk answered without noting that the vast majority of shooters are cis. Soon after, a single shot rang through the open-air forum at Utah Valley University. In the days that have followed, the internet has run wild with theories.
As the story continued to develop and the search was underway, The Wall Street Journal published a story, reporting that documents from the authorities said the ammunition contained engravings with “transgender, antifascist ideology.” Outlets, commentators, and pundits were quick to seize on this not-so-accurate bulletin: from the U.K.’s The Telegraph to MAGA influencers and even Donald Trump Jr. On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Trump went on The Megyn Kelly Show and proclaimed that trans folks are more dangerous than al-Qaeda. Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace said on video, “It sounds like the shooter was a tr*nny or pro-tr*nny.” Meanwhile, far-right TikTok detectives and other social instigators tried their best to identify a trans shooter, ranging from a Utah-based trans singer to a trans paralegal in Washington.
And yet, on September 12th, authorities announced the arrest of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a white, cisgender man, on suspicion of Kirk’s murder. At a press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed investigators had recovered engraved casings. However, contrary to the Journal’s report, the inscriptions reflected a scatter of memes and cultural references: “Hey fascist catch!” with arrows, the anti-fascist song lyric “Bella Ciao,” and “If you read this, U are gay LMAO.” Authorities said nothing about finding casings about trans anything.
Though the lie traveled faster and louder than the Journal‘s clarification and update, the damage was already done. American Civil Liberties Union’s Gillian Branstetter wrote on Bluesky, “Transgender people are owed a retraction and apology from @WSJ.”
The Journal owes trans people an apology, and many more to us are long overdue.
Trans folks have been in the crosshairs for some time now, from anti-trans legislation to transvestigations, amplified in no small part by acts of stochastic terrorism. When a pundit or commentator demonizes a group, without directly calling for said actions, it increases the probability of violence. Sadly, some see this as nothing more than free speech. It’s not. Deriding that one doesn’t trust a doctor or pilot based on the color of their skin shouldn’t be commentary; saying some Black bodies were affirmative hires because they supposedly lack brain capacity isn’t a statement worthy of platforming. I remember a time when pundits condemned rhetoric like this. But now, it’s praised and upheld as an example of free speech. Something monetized.
In an era of heightened politicization and targeting of trans Americans, I’ve tried my best to manage what I can in this hostile climate. It’s too expensive to move to another country, so I’ve turned to more walks, therapy, and prayer. But I still have those moments when I sit back and think not only “why I am in it” when it comes to sentiments about trans existence, but how we as a country got here. Being trans in the 21st century shouldn’t feel like a stigma, a weight on the back of my shoulders, especially in a nation founded on the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, this country still strives to make exemptions to those values when you’re not white or cisgender. And even when those in power or position try to shame trans folks for existing, telling us we’re too weak, too insecure, or too mentally unstable, we are equally demonized for being too powerful and too influential.
Funny how that works.
Though I didn’t celebrate Kirk’s death, I also don’t mourn for him. How can one mourn someone who has built their brand on bigotry? Who has positioned himself based on divisiveness? I disagreed with many of Kirk’s sentiments as much as I’ve disagreed with others who share his, even within my community. The difference is that I can, and do, break bread with said individuals in my community despite our differences, as we both know that we are first and foremost Americans and should treat each other as such.
Sadly, Kirk’s legacy won’t be one as a great uniter.
I watched the news conference on September 12th when they announced Robinson’s arrest. Utah Governor Spencer Cox passionately quoted some of Kirk’s not-so-vitriolic sentiments, including “When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence.” Setting aside the lack of an apology for earlier misinformed bulletins, I wholeheartedly disagree with the statement. It’s when people talk with less nuance, discussions only include one-hit statements for social media, and feeding the masses with misinformation is when violence brews. But I do agree with Cox on another point made during the conference: We are at a perilous juncture, and the need to treat one another with respect and dignity matters now more than ever.
Related: No, this transgender woman is not the Charlie Kirk assassin
The Journal and countless others owe trans people an apology. We must challenge personalities, pundits, and politicians to stop treating trans lives as disposable in the pursuit of clicks, outrage, or political gains. We deserve the dignity of not being dragged into tragedies we had no part in.
As Cox said, this is a defining moment. And whether there’s an escalation or choosing another path is a choice — one that each of us can make.
We should choose a better, more respectful course.
Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière is a Black transgender woman and Community Editor at equalpride, the publisher of The Advocate.
Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Advocate.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.
This article originally appeared on Advocate: The Wall Street Journal owes trans people an apology