Date: Sun, 19 May 1996 21:48:09 GMT Subject: DEMONSTRATION/VIGIL FOR CHRISTIAN PAIGE From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins) *=======================================* | DEMONSTRATION/VIGIL HELD | | FOR CHRISTIAN PAIGE | *=======================================* Contact: Riki Anne Wilchins, Riki@Pipeline.Com, 212/645-1753 [CHICAGO, IL - May 17, 1996] Dozens of activists from across the queer spectrum held a demonstration/vigil in the heart of Chicago, Daley Center, for Christian Paige, a transexual woman murdered just 2 months ago. [Original release follows] An Especially Brutal Crime -------------------------- The event was staged to focus public attention on gender violence in general, and the savage murder of Ms. Paige in particular, which was totally ignored by local straight media. Ms. Paige was beaten severely, strangled, stabbed deeply in the chest between 15-25 times, and then the entire scene set afire. Her body was discovered when the Chicago Fire Department entered her apartment to put out the blaze. While some activists carried posters covered with pictures of Ms. Paige headed "In Memoriam," others distributed more than 1,500 fliers to passersby [flier text follows]. No one has been arrested or charged for the murder, and despite the level of violence, Chicago Police have refused to classify it as a hate-crime. Entire Queer Spectrum Turns Out -------------------------- Present at the event was a cross section of the entire genderqueer community, including members of Transexual Menace NYC, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, and Tampa, It's Time Illinois, Transexual Menace Men, TOPS (the national organization for transgendered peace officers), Queer Nation, the Horizons Anti- Violence Project (AVP), and members of the lesbian, drag and crossdressing communities. The demonstration/vigil was covered two reporters from the City Desk of the Chicago Sun- Times, all three local queer newspapers, and a local talk show which conducted on-site interviews. A number of members of the Chicago Police Department also attended, but, after discussions with a TOPS representative, were content to quietly observe and left activists in peace. Speaking Out Against Violence ----------------------------- Declared local activist Miranda Stevens, vice-chair of Its Time Illinois, "The tragic murder of Christian Paige is the kind of that which results when a group of people are marginalized to the point of being considered less-than-human. We must continue to remind all of society that each and every transperson, is a real, valuable, and precious human being." Stated Menace member Riki Anne Wilchins who helped organize the event: "Genderqueers are *not* disposable people and violence against us, whether we are transexual, drag, crossdressers, stone butches or nelly fags *will* draw a response. Someone will show up to say we will not go away, we will not be left behind, we will not disappear into the margins and we will not give in to violence." [END] [FLIER BEGINS] *=======================================* | JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN PAIGE | *=======================================* On Friday, March 22 at 10pm, a lovely, young transexual woman was found savagely murdered in her Chicago apartment -- Christian Paige had been brutally beaten about the head and ears, strangled, and then stabbed deeply in her chest and breast area 15-25 times. The man who did this to her is still walking the Chicago streets. We gather here today to remember Christian, and to declare we will no longer submit quietly to the violence and hatred that stalks transpeople, lesbians, gays, and other genderqueers: Brandon Teena - Falls City, NB Brandon was murdered just days after he was severely beaten and raped multiple times; stabbed in the chest as he slept, Brandon was then shot pointblank, execution-style, in the head. Deborah Forte - Haverhill, MA Deborah was discovered by her roommate early on the morning of May 15; she had suffered three stab wounds to the chest, each half a foot deep, numerous slash wounds across her breasts and chest, a smashed nose, multiple severe blows to her head and face, and partial strangulation. Channel Picket - Watertown, MA One of two beautiful, 23 year-old transexual twin sisters, Channel was found strangled to death in her apartment following a date, early on the morning of Monday, November 20. Tyra Hunter - Washington, DC On August 7, Tyra was struck and fatally injured in a car accident. An EMS technician cut open her pants, found she had a penis, stopped treating her and began making jokes to the crowd! Transpeople are not "disposable people." Sponsored by: The Transexual Menace - A direct action group dedicated to gender, affectional and racial equality. [FLIER ENDS] [ORIGINAL RELEASE BEGINS] *=======================================* | TRANSEXUAL MURDERED IN CHICAGO | *=======================================* [CHICAGO, IL -- April 11, 1996] In what appears to be one of the most brutal hate crimes in years, Christian Paige, a beautiful 24 year old transexual woman, was found was savagely murdered in her apartment, Friday, March 22, at 10 PM. Ms. Paige had been brutally beaten about the head and ears, then strangled, and finally stabbed deeply in her chest and breast area between 15 and 2 dozen times. Prior to fleeing the scene, her assailant set fire to the apartment only a few feet from her prostrate body, apparently in an attempt to destroy evidence. Her body had been so savagely assaulted that some friends at first believed she had been deliberately mutilated. Ms. Paige, a native of Nashville, TN, had only recently moved to Chicago where she was working to save money towards sex reassignment surgery. She had performed at Chicago's trendy downtown Baton Lounge, where she was well regarded. She had already had a highly successful career in clubs as a former Miss Gay Nashville and Miss Midwestern Continental. Ms. Paiges body was discovered when the Chicago Fire Department responded to reports of arson at her residence at about 10:00 that evening. The premises, which Ms. Paige shared with 2 friends, was also ransacked and valuables were stolen. A Demonstration/Vigil Planned ----------------------------- Members of the Chicago chapter of the direct action group The Transexual Menace have planned a demonstration/vigil for the Friday preceeding the 2 month anniversary of Christian Paige's murder. Activists are seeking to the protest the savageness of Ms. Paige's murder, focus public attention on trans-related violence, and remind people (including the police) that her murderer is still walking the streets of Chicago. The demonstration, tentaively planned for the morning of Friday, May 17, will start from the Baton Lounge where Ms. Paige worked and proceed 6 blocks to Daly Center where the PD and City Hall are located. Said one member of the Menace, "People must be made aware, every time one of us goes in the ground, there WILL be a response. Trans-related violence has got to stop." Details from the Chicago PD --------------------------- Chicago PD Detective Gildea, who was assigned to Ms. Paiges case, was interviewed over the phone only days ago by Deputy-Sheriff Tonye Barreto-Neto of TOPS, the national group for transgender peace officers. Gildea noted that all Ms. Paiges stab wounds were so deep and severe that any single one would have been sufficient to kill her. In addition, preliminary results showed no defensive wounds on her body, consistent with a theory that she was struck unconscious from multiple blows to her head prior to being strangled and stabbed. Police told Windy City Times reporter Lisa Neef that the murder is not being investigated as a hate crime. Their initial report that the victim was a "white female" was later amended to that of "white male." Ms. Paige had apparently met her alleged assailant through a telephone dating service only a few days before. She told roommates she had spoken with him twice by phone on the Wednesday and Thursday prior to her murder, eventually making a date with him for 8:30 PNM Friday evening, the 22nd. Police discovered glasses in her apartment still on the table where the two of them had apparently shared a drink together before she was killed. Unfortunately, the fire destroyed any fingerprints and police are still trying trace her alleged assailant through the dating service phone records. Mourned and Remembered in Nashiville ------------------------------------ Said one of her best friends, Marisa Richmond of Tennessee Vals, "Nashville is a community that is still in a state of shock. Everybody, whether they knew Christian or not, is crying either on the outside or inside. All of us cared about her because she was so genuinely likable." "I'd be hard pressed to think of another person who enjoyed life and just liked people. It's hard to fathom that somebody who liked to see people laugh and smile so much could bring so many tears, but that is how much we were touched by her." Ms. Paiges body was flown back to Nashville, where it was buried last week. She is survived by an older sister and her mother, both of whom attended her funeral. Several Nashville organizations and local fund-raisers have collected $512 in donations to help her family cover burial expense. Donations for Christians burial expenses can be mailed to: Tennessee Vals PO Box 92335 Nashville TN 37209 [ORIGINAL RELEASE ENDS]