This is a bit scary...

http://www.dailymail.co.u[...]newsxml

That could easily have been me under that train (or perhaps you)!

Hugs, Katie x

Hi Katie,my God this is one shocking story. All loss of human life is awful but when it's inflicted by another person it really saddens me.The victim being transgender brings it even closer to home. It can be a horrible,sick world we live in. My heart goes out to the victims family. Take care love Lillith

It is only about 2 miles from the Transhealth Clinic. Even if the woman had not been there it is still very scarey.

From the story its difficult to determine whether its a trans related crime or a crime against someone who just happened to be trans. I wouldnt want to automatically assume both are connected. Even so, its an awful travesty and If the woman is found guilty of murder then she deserves to serve a lengthy sentance.
Penny
x

Its scary how random life is.

Make sure you tell your family and friends how you feel about them often as you just never know when something horrible may happen. Do what you can to stay safe.

Hi Fiona,great post. Very wise words indeed. You just never know what's round the corner. Take care love Lillth

More:

http://www.pinknews.co.uk[...]urgess/

I notice that the toilet paper we call the Daily Mirror refers to this poor woman as a man and by her male name. How simply lovely.

Of course, this could be personal and not a hate crime. It could be someone who wanted to remove someone who knew their secret.

Seems odd that, with all the police cameras in London, they do not have film of this murder in the Underground...

OMG, the coverage just keeps getting worse.
http://www.birdofparadox.[...]?p=8913

Somehow the fact this was a human being who was murdered seems to be lost in the hype.

Best,
Melody

Nothin but f&*$^^*g Sc*mbags these " so-called " Journo's really are.....& the Fact the evening standard printed this sh*te is beyond me it really is. Someone was MURDERED ffs or does it not matter to these " people"?



Anna-Marie.

Still more:

from Martha Tee Gee Oh via facebook:

"the arrested woman has appeared in court again and been outed by the judge as Trans. You can imagine how the Daily Mail treated that. The battle now is to get her remanded to a women's prison or at least kept safe from the general population."

I hope that she is not being subjected to "rough justice" in a male prison. She, like all defendants, deserves her day in court and a fair trial. I can't imagine how this is happening in a civilized country (which I want to believe the UK is...)

Best,
Melody

Are we reading the same story? The Evening Standard story came out 4 days after the murder. All the pity party stories had already aired. This story delves into this individual's life which obviously included a secret life. David Burgess according to the Evening Standard story was a rather successful solicitor and was highly respected. Sounds reasonable to me. Then there is the other side of his life, the secret side which at least outwardly appears to be part of the reason he was murdered. The story still sounds reasonable to me.

Maybe it is the fact that this individual was successful and still involved herself in prostitution, I know they were nice enough and called it escorting, but call it what it is, prostitution. From the sounds of it, the Evening Standard has done an excellent job supplying more details into the mix of why this person was murdered in the first place.

If this had just been some poor GG street hooker instead of TG, many would have just said she must of screwed the wrong guy, and then moved on to the next news story without giving it a heartbeat of care. The reality is this person put herself in the position which right or wrong, led to her death.

Hugs,
Marsha

"The reality is this person put herself in the position which right or wrong, led to her death."

I find this a little harsh, Marsha. These were two trans women who were apparently lawyer and client.

More about the victim:

http://whittlings.blogspo[...]ry.html

Perhaps Cristine can tell us if the cases sited had a major effect on Human Rights in the UK.

Distressed at anyone's death,
Melody

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/340

Published in the UK law forum. some time ago.

This is a case that set a judicial ruling and was refered to in the case of Cambridge Health authority. Regarding this particular case the North West Lankashire Health Authority subsequently appealed the judgement and lost.......................................more

The original cost as to each appellants surgery was muted at £8000. Total cost for this case and the subsequent appeal by the HA.was in the region of £1.2M the health authority paying to order 66% of costs and 33% being paid by legal aid, so basically 100% by the tax payer, this did not include compensation or any punative damages. David/Sonia was one of the leading solicitors for one of the claimants in the original case briefing QC's, and yes that case whilst did not exactly initially force a change of view on the British government or the health service, but it was a major contributing factor that heralded the birth of the UK Gender Recognition Act.. I never knew or even met her, but I do know several people that had. She will be missed, Her selfless dedication to the oppressed and people deserving basic human rights was only to be admired. Her death might be the result of one mad moment,, initiated by despondancy and despair.

Leave the crap out of it. Once again its a case of ''people who live in glass houses should'nt throw stones'' I hope we are all remembered for the one good thing we did, rather than a few things we did'nt, seems lately people are more interested in someones private life than the good and lasting affect their lives have had on our own rights and freedoms.

Thank you, Cristine. I thought I remembered you posting something on one of her cases listed in the obituary.

Best,
Melody

I am not trying to justify the act of murder in any way Melody, nor am I trying to argue any point here. I'm just adding my take on the story which might be similar to how the Evening Standard story went. I had noted this individual seemed to be well respected and your latest link also had a very positive view of Sonia. Right now all we know is speculation, and as your latest post eluded to the answers to what happened may never be known, and it may have even been a tragic accident, not murder.

We often want to say people who don't accept us are ignorant. It is also ignorant to believe that all transgendered do no wrong. Both are human nature and in each person's mind they have good intentions. So my statement may have been harsh, yet it is as feasible as any others given.

Hugs,
Marsha

I can see your point Marsha,

What I don't get is this insatiable quest to dig the dirt, by a free newspaper, we all know dirt sells papers. but its left there for people to read between the lines and probably come to the wrong conclusion, to put the emphasis on the more sordid aspects of Trans issues, rather than highlight the good works achieved. articles like this does us no favours. thats why I find it abhorant.

I totally agree Cris. I don't want to come across as being insincere. I wish there was a way to balance what is said on the topic. At least for those interested, the internet gives those of us who care, alternative sites to see stories from different angles.
Hugs,
Marsha

Perhaps this rings so loudly in the ears of us in the UK because our gutter press has a long and dubious history of hounding people into the ground if they sniff a lurid story. It has only been in recent years that our redtop Sunday "newpapers" have stopped reporting and outing a TS merely for being TS, with headlines like "Busty Blonde Brenda The Coal Miner In Sexswop Sensation". Two now quite famous transexual women were outed in this way and had their careers destroyed.

I have always said that the news rags have never reported news. They just sensationalise stories under the guise of news to encourage ignorant people to buy their papers. Ignorant papers attract ignorant readers. Proper news is a little too boring.

With the diversity laws and such in place, put there by government mechanisms, it shows that news papers are independant and have the freedom to express their opinions. Can you imagine what laws might be enforced if the ignorant news papers ran government? All m2f Trannies would be forced to wear 4" high heals, blonde wigs, mini skirts, horendous makeup and work in the sex trade not forgetting being chained to the kitchen sink.

Love
Penny
x