Loud & Proud

tw racism, homophobia, violence: a black lesbian woman in dallas, texas was murdered last week, is still unidentified

On July 23, 2012 at approximately 11:03 a.m. the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible deceased person in a wooded area around the 1400 block of Black Champ Road in the unincorporated area of Ellis County. Deputies were dispatched to the location and upon arrival located a deceased person lying in a heavily wooded area.

She is approximately 5’4 inches tall and weighing approximately 115 pounds. She is believed to be of African-American heritage. She was wearing a black or dark gray tank top, blue jean shorts and white Nike tennis shoes with purple shoe laces. It is believed she may have disappeared on or after the early afternoon of July 17, 2012.

The Sheriff’s Office is releasing an artist rendition of what the female may have looked when she was alive along with the tattoos found on her person.

The Sheriff’s Office reached out to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the Dallas area as well as members of GetEQUAL TX. This leads us to believe that there is a possibility that she was part of the LGBT community.

GetEQUAL TX plans to work with police and the community to find justice for this woman and her family.

“If this was a lesbian woman, this makes a third lesbian woman of color brutally attacked in Texas within a month’s time”, said C.D Kirven, an organizer with GetEQUAL, “as a member of the LGBT community and a woman of color, this is not just an attack on this woman but on me and others in my community”

“The recent attacks towards women, especially lesbian women, is an attempt to silence and terrify the LGBT community”, Said Tiffani Bishop, Central Texas Lead Organizer for GetEQUAL TX, “Crimes based in gender and sexual orientation bias are a direct reflection of sexism and heterosupremacy within our society. We must, as a community, stand in solidarity to put an end to these violent crimes.”

“Violence against a member of a community directly effects all members of that community”, said, Michael Diviesti, Co-State Lead Organizer for GetEQUAL TX, “We begin to put ourselves in the place of our brothers and sisters who have suffered this violence. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.”

Any person who may have information regarding the identity of this woman is requested to contact Investigator Joe Fitzgerald at 972.825.4928.

Go here to see artist’s rendition and distinguishing marks

Activist friend posted this, please reblog especially if you live in Dallas.