Murder of Transgender Woman Goes Unmarked in Media
October 7, 2008
Whether it was writing poetry or organizing in her community, Nakhia Williams was an active and vocal member of her hometown of Louisville KY. Williams, known as Nikki to her friends, proudly attended the 2005 Transsistahs-Transbrothas Conference where she met with other transgender people of African descent. Through her friendly attitude and genuine love of people, Williams touched many lives.
Nakhia Williams, a 29 year-old transgender woman murdered in Louisville, KY. Image courtesy Monica Roberts.
On August 20th, a few days shy of her 30th birthday, however, Williams was brutally murdered by a number of men outside her Louisville, KY apartment.
She died on August 30th.
Williams’ death prompted two disrespectful and inaccurate reports from FOX affiliate WDRB and CBS affiliate WLKY. Kentucky Fairness Alliance (KFA) members and GLAAD staff reached out to both stations multiple times offering feedback and recommendations on accurate coverage of transgender people. Neither station agreed to accurately reflect Williams’ identity or honor her life.
Over a month later, no other media outlets have covered her murder or followed up on any outcomes of the ongoing police investigations.
As we observe the 10 year remembrance of Matthew Shepard’s tragic murder, the silence the media has taken around Williams’ death is troubling. While it is still not clear if her death was the result of a bias-motivated crime, what is clear is that media outlets across the country missed the mark by failing to investigate her murder.
KFA published a press release detailing their desire to have Williams’ murder investigated to the fullest extent, and to have it covered inclusively and accurately by media outlets. KFA also called upon the state to include gender identity in Kentucky hate crimes laws. GLAAD has published a Call to Action urging fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of Williams’ death and is calling on local papers to report not only her death, but the lack of accurate media coverage.
One of Nakhia’s many friends was prominent African American transgender leader Monica Roberts, author of the Transgriot blog and a coordinator of the Transsistahs-Transbrothas Conference. Roberts attended Williams’ wake and wrote the following on her blog:
“It was hard looking at Nikki peacefully sleeping in that white casket…there were more than a few tears shed, but simmering under the surface this morning was anger. Anger over the way she was taken from us, and anger over the disrespectful way the story was covered by the local media.”
Through these initiatives and through pressure from community members, media professionals will hopefully cover the story of Nakhia Williams with the same accuracy and fairness that has been shown in the media coverage concerning the recent murder of Angie Zapata, a transgender woman from Greeley, Colorado.
While the case remains open, Williams’ murderers have yet to be found. It is important for community memebers and allies to do everything possible to bring attention to this senseless crime and to ensure that her story is presented by the media with dignity and respect.
Nakhia Williams worked throughout her life to bring attention to the lives of transgender people, and her legacy must be respected in her death.
Top Stories Today – 09.18.2008
September 18, 2008
National News:
- Associated Press – Obama Won’t Repeal ‘Don’t Ask’ On His Own
- Associated Press – Brad Pitt Donates Money to Support Gay Marriage
- Newsweek – The New Transgender Reality
- The New York Times – Supreme Court’s Global Influence Is Waning
- Associated Press – Okla.’s Inhofe on Attack Again in Senate Race
- Los Angeles Times – OBITUARY: John Burnside Dies at 91; Gay Rights Activist, Teleidoscope Inventor
Regional News:
- The Press-Enterprise (CA) – Field Poll: Opposition Grows to Initiative that Would Ban Gay Marriage
- Arkansas Democrat Gazette (AR) – Group Shifts Strategy Over Adoption Ban
- The Seattle Times (WA) – Gay Immigrant, Detained in Tacoma, Gains Reprieve
- The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA) – Obama: Go Slower on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
- The News-Press–Fort Myers (FL) – Editorial: Florida Wrong on Gay Adoption
- Winston-Salem Journal (NC) – Same-Sex Domestic Violence: Harder to Get Help
- The Salt Lake Tribune (UT) – Ex-Mormon Donates $1M to Kill LDS-Backed Prop. 8
- San Diego Union-Tribune (CA) – Firefighters Testify About Reluctance to Take Part in Gay Pride Parade
- The Capital Times (WI) – Man Arrested After Alleged Gay Slurs, Scuffle
International News:
- Philippine Daily Inquirer (The Philippines) – Call him Jeff, Says SC; he Used to Be Called Jennifer
From the Blogs:
- Towleroad – Obama Clarifies Process for Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
- Good As You – Lewis and Clark discuss sex between same
- Box Turtle Bulletin – One-Third of “Yes for Prop 102″ Contributions Come from Mesa, Arizona
- Wayne Besen – Alaskans Protest ‘Ex-Gay’ Conference
- Good As You – Gavin knew some students would wanna help out
- Box Turtle Bulletin – Mormons and California’s Prop 8
- 365Gay.com – Ark. gay group abandons legal challenge to adoption measure
- Mombian – Kentucky Forbids Same-Sex Stepparents
- 365Gay.com – Deadly crash investigation focuses on gay engineer
- The Bilerico Project – Media picks up the slack on Sarah Palin’s LGBT record
- Brad Pitt Donates to Fight California’s Proposition 8:
- Joe.My.God – Brad Pitt Gives $100K To Fight Prop 8
- The Bilerico Project – Brad Pitt donates $100,000 to fight California Prop 8
- Queerty – Brad Pitt is my Hero
- Gay Rights Watch – Brad Pitt Gives $100k to Fight California Marriage Ban
- Box Turtle Bulletin – Brad Pitt Gives to Fight Proposition 8
- Towleroad – Brad Pitt Donates $100,000 to Fight Same-Sex Marriage Ban
- Pam’s House Blend – Brad Pitt donating $100,000 to fight gay marriage ban
- Good As You – Brangelina’s ‘Bra’ backs nups where such are either doubled or nixed
Top Stories Today – 09.17.2008
September 17, 2008
National News:
- The New York Times - Laramie Killing Given Epilogue a Decade Later
- The New York Times – OP-ED: ‘Barbies for War!’
- Los Angeles Times – HIV Epidemic in U.S. a Crisis, Health Officials Say
Regional News:
- The New York Times (NY) – Albany G.O.P. Leader Is Guest of Gay Group
- San Jose Mercury News (CA) – Firefighters Seek Damages Over Gay Pride Parade
- San Francisco Chronicle (CA) – S.F. ID Card Program Supporters Hold Rally
- Arizona Daily Star (AZ) – Mormons Now Issue in Gay Vows
- Los Angeles Times (CA) – Metrolink 111 Engineer Led Solitary Life Marred by Tragedy
- The Charlotte Observer (NC) – Executive Shares Stories About Growing Up Gay
- Louisville Courier-Journal (KY) – EDITORIAL: Homophobia’s Victims
- Newsday (NY) – LI Mother Accused of Sexually Abusing Her Kids
International News:
From the Blogosphere:
- Queerty – Obama Camp to Address Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
- The Bilerico Project – Florida Fundie Politician Brian Blair is an Equal Opportunity Hater
- Towleroad – Stop Sending Annie Proulx Your Extended Gyllenhaal-Ledger Fantasies
- Queerty – Positively Living (Re: Jack Mackenroth)
- The Bilerico Project – Lynn Cheney endorses same-sex marriage
- Pam’s House Blend – Kentucky: gay customers at McD’s called ‘faggots’ by staff
