Transgender victim struggled for acceptance
Life as a transgender woman wasn’t easy for Anthony Trent. Known as “Tyra,” the 25-year-old told family she would sometimes be attacked on the street just because of the way she looked.
“He was a very bold person – he wasn’t scared to show or flaunt his lifestyle,” said cousin and close friend Correll Trent, 18. “People told him all the time, if this is the way you want to live, we can’t stop you. But be careful, watch yourself.”
Recently, she had been jumped on the street and beaten up, losing a tooth in the attack.
“He came home and cried that day,” Correll said.
On Saturday, someone wandering into a vacant, city-owned home in the 3300 block of Virginia Ave. in Northwest Baltimore found Trent’s body in the basement. She had no identification and no cell phone, but an autopsy had shown that she had been asphyxiated. City homicide detectives are investigating the case.
It took two days to confirm Trent’s identity and notify family. Trent had been reported missing two weeks earlier, after leaving late at night on a Sunday and never returning. Trent had been known to leave for a few days at a time, but always kept in touch with her mother, Sundra. Not this time.
“Sundra felt it. After two days she said, ‘Something happened to my baby,’” said family friend Pamela Holden.
Relatives were gathered at the Trent family home Tuesday night, where they remembered Trent as a vibrant person who liked to dance, loved animals and loved to style hair. She worked with people with disabilities, they said.
“He was a good person, and he made friends,” said aunt Evelina “Noni” Trent, 41.
She also worked the streets, often spending time at an area of the city known as “The Stroll” where transgender prostitutes are known to frequent. Court records show dozens of arrests for loitering and prostitution between 2003 and 2008. In one, she climbed into the car of an undercover detective and asked if he wanted to party, then discussed oral sex, according to records.
Trent hadn’t been arrested since 2008, however, and it is unknown what circumstances led up to her death.
Sandy Rawls, director of Trans-United, which provides outreach for members of the transgender community, said she had been working with Trent, who was in the process of formally changing her name and wanted to obtain a GED.
“We had been trying to get her off the street for some time, but there's really nowhere to put transgender individuals who are homeless,” Rawls said. “Every time we go somewhere, we're ostracized out of that place, and they end up getting into dangerous situations.”
However, family said Trent lived with her mother and always had a place to stay.
Correll Trent said family feared for her safety. “Most city guys, guys who grow up in Baltimore, they don’t like that,” he said, referring to a transgender lifestyle. “He was so upset and hurt that people can’t accept his lifestyle. It made me angry.”
Outside the home, Trent’s mother sat in an idling car, a young child strapped in the backseat. She waved over a reporter, who she mistook for a detective. She said she couldn’t stay for an interview.
“I need closure,” she said, pulling away to visit the crime scene.
Comments
Again Justin, thank you for covering this story.
It is likely that you will get some feedback about your use of pronouns and your portrayal of her past legal transgressions. There is a bourgeois class within the LGBT community who would like to throw women like Tyra under the bus by denying their existence. But women like Tyra are real and their suffering cannot be ended by pretending that they do not exist.
This tragedy brings to light the failure of our community to protect a very vulnerable class of its citizens. Sandy Rawls, a tireless advocate for transgender rights is correct in her assessment that "there's really nowhere to put transgender individuals who are homeless."
Currently there is a bill before the House of Delegates that would offer some limited protection for transgender Marylanders in the areas of employment and housing (HB235).
Public accommodations were left out of that bill and the transgendered community is outraged at that omission. We should all be.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | February 22, 2011 9:29 PM
Thank you Dana! The author most certainly was all over the map by mis-gendering this woman. When a journalist describes her as a transwoman then that is how she should be treated in every respect. I understand that there are actual quotes from her family the use the improper pronouns but quotes are quotes. It would be desirable to preface those respecting her gender as female and that they are actual quotes from family.
Using improper pronouns is offensive.
I used our style of referring to how she wanted to be identified, but we were not going to change her family's quotes.
Posted by: Dana Taylor | February 23, 2011 7:25 AM
I think you did well with the pronoun usage. Most of the male pronouns you used were withing quotes of people's comments. You could be a little more careful of using pronouns properly in regards to transgender people. I don't believe the errors made here were intended to be offensive. Thanks for the article.
I still don't see any non-quote pronouns misused. -JF
Posted by: NikkiAnne | February 23, 2011 11:04 AM
I apologize, you are correct. I just reread the article. Thanks again. as a transsexual woman, I appreciate people getting the pronouns correct.
Posted by: NikkiAnne | February 23, 2011 11:10 AM
You did well with the pronouns! THANK YOU!
Posted by: Leigh Anne | February 23, 2011 11:13 AM
Actually Ms. Taylor I thought the author’s navigation of pronouns was pretty good. I was giving him a heads up because I read comments like this on Equality Maryland’s facebook page:
“Really classy how they used her birth name and mentioned her criminal record from way back in 2008,” and “…but shame on whoever wrote the story, using her birth name and the wrong gender pronouns and all. ugh.”
Frankly I don’t know how one can write an objective crime story without referring to the criminal history of the victim. And I don’t know how you can search judiciary records without the legal name. It just is what it is. Other than the LGBT blogs and an update at the City Paper nobody else seems to be covering this story.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | February 23, 2011 1:30 PM
While the language and respect of journalists of this paper has gotten somewhat better when covering stories of transpeople, I wonder why the same discrediting tactics continue. Why is it necessary to bring up a transperson's birth name? Why is it necessary for the writers of this paper to always revert to criminalizing the victim? And how about some education on pronoun usage?
I know it's difficult for cispeople to educate themselves (even though the resources are abundant), but seriously...
And to the person who commented "people like this exist" regarding trans prostitutes, perhaps if transpeople had some sort of job protections, or could GET jobs, transwomen wouldn't be FORCED into prostituion. That's not me being 'boojy'...that's me stating a fact. Ninety eight percent of transpeople are unemployed thanks to employment discrimination and transphobia.
Stop criminalizing transpeople in you reporting, Baltimore Sun.
Posted by: dylan | February 23, 2011 1:54 PM
While I appreciate your efforts to report this horrible crime that has once again reared it's ugly head in the Trans community, I would really like to know why it is neccessary for you to report that she had a criminal background. I did not know it was apart of her identity. Second, can someone, anyone explain to me why so many pronouns were used in one article about one person, are we talking about Cybil or are we talking about a young woman named TYRA that was murdered. We get so caught up in writing a story that we have to sensationalize it for viewing pleasure. Get real, there is no pleasure in her murder so can you tell her story the same as you do, when it comes to hetero America. Final thought It seems to roll off of your pen very quickly about her arrests but food for thought, if her own family can't even use the right pronouns in her death, how horrible do you think the language was between her and her family to cause her to be out there in the streets in the first place. Her own family in her death is adoment in calling her a he, and you are no better by supporting such nonsense. If she were alive I wonder would she be telling you about the man she was or her feelings of being the woman she was and will always be, no matter how much you and America and her family tried to make her be a he.
( In my Oprah voice )
Posted by: Andrea L. Harrington | February 23, 2011 5:27 PM
I can't speak for everyone, but i'm very offended by this article. Regardless how you or anyone may feel about "TYRA" , keep in mind that she was killed. What she was arrested for in the past should not have been mentioned. That did nothing but help those who already do not care. I am speaking from the heart because this hits very close to home for me. On October 11th 2010, I came home from work and found my partner(a transexual) of 7years strangled to death in our house. i know that the Philadelphia Police Dept. is not giving a good effort in finding the killer. Especially with the evidence that is available. She was a human being and she deserves that kind of respect. I did not know Tyra personally, but my prayers go out to her friends and family. We have a very long way to go. It bothers me that people will kill someone else for no other reason except that person just wanting to exist...... As journalist, you have a resposibility to report news, but not in a bias way. Your article should of spoke about how awful that was instead of speaking of her past. To me, your article judged her and also helped others in doing so too. We have a very long way to go and from what I read the Baltimore Sun has a very long way to go also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: malik moorer | February 23, 2011 6:25 PM
First I would like to thank the writer for bringing this story to light, and making people aware of the reality Transgender people face day to day. The language is indeed hard for cisgender people to grasp, and for that matter, trans people in the community as well. I say this because I do not want this comment to seem as a complaint but rather an opportunity for education and open dialog. It is preferable to call the person by the name, and use correct pronouns based on the persons gender identity and the way they present themselves. I won’t belabor this point; I think it’s been said enough. The second oversight that stood out to me is the choice of wording “lifestyle”. I wish to clarify the point that lifestyle implies choice, and for many Transgender people it is not a choice but simply who they are. The fact that we endure such social prejudices and hardship in order to be true to ourselves, attests to that fact. The use of transgender is used to simplify this dialog but it should be said that transgender is an umbrella term, and covers many in the gender queer community. Cross dressers, transgenderists, transsexuals, androgyny, drag queens, drag kings, gender variant, and gender queer are some of the community that fall under this term. It should be noted as well that this language is in flux, and should be thought of in those terms. Thank you for your indulgence, and please speak with kindness not forgetting… a precious soul was taken from us.
Posted by: Shayne Phillips | February 23, 2011 7:07 PM
i knew Trent from coming to jail she was a very nice person and we will truly miss her very respectful !!!!! Please let me know when her funeral. my heart goes out to her family
Posted by: Tracy Wallace | February 23, 2011 7:57 PM
To Mr. Malik Moorer, my prayers and thoughts go out to you and your family as well as the family of Tyra. I agree with you 100%, in the fact that as a human her identity is trashed by past mistakes but, no explicit pronouns were used in the discription of a cold hearted killer that took Tyra away and all of the other Trans woman. As a journalist yes you have to make the story worth reading but don't hide behind the fact that the family used such pronouns, when it was clear who brought up the young lady's arrest record. If your story was intended to tell the truth about the case, last I checked this is 2011 and your investigation only lead you to 2003-2008 arrests. Come into the present and let's talk about the real issue instead of criminalizing the victim.
Posted by: Andrea L. Harrington | February 24, 2011 5:40 PM
I am Just Speechless this hate-crime could have been done to anyone: gay, straight, male, or female. I am a Transexual who lives in that same area this could have been me! However, God is good and those who are last shall be first! Enough is Enough!! Also the one commentor was right when they said that the family didnt even respect her as a woman as evidenced by calling her Him! I know it all to well... A change will come!
Posted by: Dannie | February 24, 2011 6:32 PM
i really just am shocked @ wut the reporter had to say about my dear friend...first off where do who ever did the report get off by stating anything in her past,second what relavence does it have with her being dead? she was a human being and deserved to make what eber decisions she felt was necessary to maintain as a individually in this busted up non caring city... if there was less discrimination and more help like jobs then im quite sure that she wouldnt have been working the streets. thats wut the city needs to work on instead of worrying about wut decisions us transgenders make. she never harmed anyone she just wanted to live anf be happy! and to make a living by any means neccessary, that does not include hurting a soul!!!!! now i would appreciate if non of that negative stuff such as her past be mentioned. and again i am a transgender female myself and theses are the problems we face on a daily basis. non acceptance, no jobs because of who we are and no ikone to trust! we need help not the media to try to bring us down as a whole!
Posted by: keosha dease | February 24, 2011 11:19 PM
this could an i say could be connected to the disappearance of this young girl from north carolina p barnes....i believe it is in the same area from where this girl went missing,whats to say this same person didnt pick tyre up thinking he was a women and went off... when he found out he was a man...the city police needs to check all abandon buildings in the area. ...the person that did this to tyra may be involved an this may lead to closure for all an justice he surely knows the area well....and will strike again.................
Posted by: william | February 25, 2011 9:50 AM
i feel like i love her regardless of what she did years ago she was loving with any1 who crossed her path she would give u the clothes off her back tyra was always so happy and tried her best to avoid trouble and whoever did that 2 her will have 2 answer 2 a higher power she will always be remembered as the life of the party and respected all who knew her and no matter what she did she didnt deserve to be left in a vacant house alone and without ppl who love her now we all will have 2 deal with the lost of a very good person and friend trya lived her life not hurting any1 in her traveles but as far as her way of life it still didnt hurt any1 we all have a way or make a way in this world but it doesnt give any1 the right 2 judge any1 us as ppl or whatever u do shouldnt give any1 a reson 2 label u we r all human and we deserve 2 b treated equally
Posted by: tia brown | February 25, 2011 4:54 PM
Dear Ms. Sundra Trent: I helped Mr. Trent (Tyra) get Social Security. I was horrified to learn that his death was so violent. You were always worried that you would leave this earth before him and there would be no one to look after him. He was your baby and I saw that you loved him unconditional. He is in GOD's loving arms now and he is no longer hurting. I know this does not ease the pain but now no one can ever hurt him. My condolences to you and your family. GOD BLESS you and your family. You are in my prayers. I feel your pain, my brother was like your son and was killed in a similiar fashion.
Ms. Edna Madden
Posted by: Edna Madden | February 26, 2011 8:28 PM
My Condolences go out to Tyra's Family.
I am a Transgendered woman who has gone thru surgery to be the happy woman I am today and my loving Parents paid for my surgery at 23 years of age.
Sadly, what happened to Tyra is appalling and sad especially in the USA. I am from the island of Guam where we as a small community are accepted and yes some who work on the streets to survive are also taken cared for as they too have a loving family.
What Tyra has gone thru in the past as a prostititute DOES NOT convey all the answers to her being murdered. In all honesty, so much hatred and SICK individuals still flourish in all corners of America. Being from Guam, we do have horrible remarks brought by military personels stationed here who find this lifestyle "sick" and not acceptable but little do they know that being like this is "inborn". I am born with more female hormones like women born with more males hormones and thats what makes us stand out. I have a job as a consultant makeup artist for Estee Lauder MAC and with 14 years in this industry, I have me countless women like me who live life to the fullest. Sadly, where Tyra was at, she should have moved out of that hell hole with the help of the City Officials so her life wont be in danger.
Wake Up Baltimore..its 2011 and more deaths preventable if you put those evil sick individuals who commit hate crime against humanity.
God Bless Tyra and may she RIP>
Posted by: Crimsona A. Kaiser | February 26, 2011 9:34 PM
Tyra (anthony J. Trent) was my nephew. A very dear, honest and wonderful human being. Full of life and love - the coward who took our beloved and broke my sister Sundra's heart will pay and rot in hell!
So much hatred and bigotry in the world. No one deserves to be judged, hurt or mistreated - we are all God's children - but alas, the devil runs rampant.
Posted by: Faith B. Terrell | March 5, 2011 10:58 PM
haha! Listen to you retards arguing over the political correctness of calling this FREAK he or she.
It is now dead. Good riddance!
Posted by: Chuck Spears | March 8, 2011 11:02 PM
To the RETARD (Chuck Spears)calling beautiful TYRA my beloved family member a freak. How dare you - but alas, the devil runs rampart - if you have never loved deeply or cared for another life - then you would never understand hurt of losing a family or dear friend.
Posted by: faith b terrell | May 8, 2011 8:34 PM