HOUSTON, TX A public memorial and candlelight vigil will be held on Monday, January 25 at 6 pm to honor Myra Ical, whose body was found last Monday in the 4300 block of Garrott St near Richmond Avenue. The memorial will include two moments of silence, one for Ms. Ical and another for the 6 transgender Houstonians who have been murdered since 1999 whose crimes remain unsolved, as well as a moment of noise-making to recognize that it is silence that allows the perpetrators of crime to go unpunished. The time for silence has ended said Cristan Williams, executive director of the Transgender Foundation of America. Myras body was discovered at 2 in the afternoon at a busy intersection. Somebody saw something or knows something about this crime. We want to encourage people to make noise about the violence that is inflicted on our community. The press release sent by the Houston Police Department identifying the victim used male pronouns to refer to Ms. Ical, whose legal name was Ruben Dario Ical, raising protests from transgender advocates. The local media took their cue from HPD, consistently referring to Myra as he which is disrespectful of her memory said Ms. Williams. Every media style book in the country, including the Associated Press, is clear that transgender people should be referred to using pronouns that reflect their gender identity. I am thankful that HPD is working hard to solve this crime, but they have a duty to communicate with the public in a way that respects ...

• published: 26 Jan 2010
• views: 902
• author: ehipassiko