Protesters hold up trans people’s mugshots in North Carolina protest

On Saturday morning, two sets of protesters took to the street in Asheville, North Carolina: those opposed to Governor Pat McCrory‘s anti-LGBT law HB2 faced off against supporters of the unconstitutional ordinance, members of Keep NC Safe.

While the protesters fighting the bill came with cowbells, a message of love and acceptance, and shouted out chants like “love thy neighbor”, the side supporting the bill came with the chants “amen” and “worthy of death.” Not only were they spewing hate alongside a few recognitions and praises for God, but they also came with a very gut wrenching banner that displayed the mugshots of supposedly trans people.

Now, we don’t know for sure if these mugshots were of trans people, or if God loving/fearing protesters just threw together some mugshots to make an outrageous statement. The point they were trying to make is that these people are criminals and don’t deserve equal rights.

Asheville-based photographer and independent journalist Max Cooper on Twitter reported those who support Gov. McCrory’s anti-LGBT law quoted Leviticus and compared LGBT people to the devil.

Amens and “worthy of death” language from pro crowd, cowbell and chants from anti. #hb2 #avlnews
— Max Cooper (@MaxCooperAVL) April 2, 2016

Pro #hb2 speaker: we are in battle, adversary is the devil. #avlnews
— Max Cooper (@MaxCooperAVL) April 2, 2016

Nesbitt displays mugshots of Trans folks. “Whites, blacks, any society has its perverts” #hb2 #avlnewz pic.twitter.com/rsV41b30SU
— Max Cooper (@MaxCooperAVL) April 2, 2016

Anti #hb2 crowd. #avlnews pic.twitter.com/gashYSN26S
— Max Cooper (@MaxCooperAVL) April 2, 2016

What this did, however, was shed light on the gross fact that trans and gender non-conforming people are more likely to be approached by police, and sometimes even mistreated by the officers that approach them. In February 2011, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) released the largest‐ever survey of transgender and gender non‐conforming people, Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.

According to the report:

54% of respondents had contact with the police as a transgender or gender non‐conforming person
46% of all transgender and gender non‐conforming people are “uncomfortable” seeking police help
22%  of those who interacted with police reported being harassed by police officers due to bias
•Transgender people of color reported much higher rates:  29‐38%
20%  were denied equal services
6%  were physically assaulted by police officers
•15% of African‐American transgender people were physically assaulted by police
2%  were sexually assaulted by police officers
•7% of African‐American transgender people were sexually assaulted by police

Why are these numbers so high? Because trans people are more likely to interact with police because they are more likely to be victims of violent crime, they are more likely to be on the street due to homelessness and/or being unwelcome at home, their circumstances often force them to work in the underground economy, and because they face harassment and arrest simply because they are out in public while being transgender.

So, to the pro bill protesters in Asheville, thank you … kinda. Also, please stop immediately.