Trans Man Left With Broken Jaw After Beating in 7-Eleven

A transgender man says he was beaten inside a Philadelphia 7-Eleven for wearing a hooded sweatshirt that read "Trans Lives Matter."

Family members, who wished to remain anonymous, told local news station WCAU that the 30-year-old man was at the store around 9 p.m. last Sunday after attending the annual OutFest block party, an annual Pride event. His name has not been released to media.

In video footage obtained by the news station, two people can be seen assaulting the victim. They throw him to the ground before kicking him in the head. According to family, the man suffered a broken jaw and eye injuries.

"I just want the people to get caught," said one family member.

Police have not yet confirmed that an investigation is underway or whether any arrests have been made. An employee of the store confirmed that a fight did occur, but there was no indication how it began.

Violence against trans people remains a national crisis in the United States. In 2019, at least 20 trans people have been killed, including 19 women of color. Their names include Muhlaysia Booker, Chynal Lindsey, Bailey Reeves, Bee Love Slater, and Jordan Cofer, the latter of whom was a transgender man. The majority died as a result of gun violence.

But the full extent of the violence may go far beyond just those names. Many acts of violence go unreported, and trans victims may not feel comfortable coming forward or identifying as trans to law enforcement.

There is no centralized method for tracking acts of violence against LGBTQ+ people in the U.S., even as hate crimes continue to increase under Donald Trump's administration. As Out previously reported, attacks on marginalized groups are at their highest level in a cade.

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