Welcome, GO readers, to our weekly roundup of the biggest lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgender women’s news and entertainment stories!
At Least 18 Transgender People Have Been Murdered In 2017
Gwynevere River Song is the 17th transgender person of 18 people who has been killed this year. The 26-year-old University of Texas at Austin graduate was shot and killed last week in Waxahachie, Texas. Song used they/them pronouns and identified as “femandrogyne” and bisexual. Kiwi Herring was also murdered this week. Herring’s tragic death came at the hands of the St. Louis police on Tuesday evening. During a rally in her honor, a car crashed into protesters similar to what happened in Charlottesville.
So far, 17 of the 18 trans people who’ve been killed in 2017 are transgender women of color. The current epidemic of violence against trans people follows the deadliest year ever in 2016, when at least 27 trans people were known to be killed.
Song and Herring’s murders come on the heels of political rhetoric and media coverage that feeds into violence against trans people. Last month, President Donald Trump called for a ban on trans people serving in the armed forces, while a popular radio show guest said he’d kill a trans woman if she did not disclose her identity. “Media carries a great deal of influence… People draw social cues on how to treat transgender people based on other people’s responses to us in media. If we’re depicted as lovable, accepted, and valid human beings, people will begin to treat as such,” Ashlee Marie Preston, the editor-in-chief of Wear Your Voice Magazine, told GO in an email. “It’s important that instead of only focusing on transgender people being gunned down, we pay attention to the circumstances that place us in front of the barrel to begin with,” she added.
The ‘Xena’ Reboot Isn’t Happening, After All
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but… The NBC reboot of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ won’t be happening anytime soon. The revamped version of the show was set to explore the queer romance between Xena and her sidekick, Gabrielle, though without actress Lucy Lawless. “I’d never say never on that one because it’s such a beloved title, but the current incarnation of it is dead,” Jennifer Salke, NBC Entertainment president told The Hollywood Reporter. There are some 34 TV reboots coming out in 2017 alone, but our middle school selves won’t rest until ‘Xena’ gets her due.
Australia Is Holding A Survey On Same-Sex Marriage
Australia is gearing up for a postal survey this September on same-sex marriage. The vote will ask Australians to answer the question: “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?” While the survey isn’t mandatory, its impact depends on the number of people who respond. The survey is also non-binding, meaning that politicians don’t have to enact the outcome into law. Still, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull seemed optimistic on 2DayFM. “If the postal vote is carried, the legalization of same-sex marriage will sail through the Parliament, believe me,” he said. Before the survey goes out, though, it faces challenges in court.
Cara Delevigne Is On The New St. Vincent Album
Out model and actress Cara Delevigne reportedly sings under the pseudonym ‘Kid Monkey’ on St. Vincent’s new album. Annie Clark, the musician behind St. Vincent, dated Delevigne for a year and a half. And, according to The Guardian, several of the songs ruminate over the end of a relationship. “I can only write about my life, and that—dating Cara—was a big part of my life,” Clark told the publication. The album hasn’t yet been titled, but St. Vincent’s single New York is out. For now, we’re going to reminisce about their bold fashion choices back when they were a couple.
A Lesbian Broadway Show Is Coming To TV…
… and it’s not Fun Home. This fall, PBS will broadcast “Indecent,” a play about the making of another show called “God of Vengeance,” which featured the first lesbian kiss on Broadway in 1923. The original play was, unsurprisingly, condemned because of the Sapphic kiss. “Indecent” portrays the cast that risked their careers to stage the original show. Penned by lesbian playwright Paula Vogel, it received two Tony Awards this year. Set your DVR now—the show airs on Great Performances on November 17.
Honorable Mentions
Can’t get enough of stories about queer women? Here’s another we can’t leave out:
ICYMI: Three Anti-Trans Bills in Texas Did Not Pass
Have something you think we should cover? Tweet @AlexFromPhilly to let us know!