Brianna Ghey had her whole life ahead of her, but even in death, she’s facing transphobia

This article contains references to hate crimes and suicide. 

Brianna Ghey, a transgender teenager, was killed less than 24 hours ago, and the UK has really out-UK’d itself in response. 

As expected, the nation’s favourite transphobic publications have disgracefully used her old male name, and the TERFs of Twitter are frothing at the mouth as usual, having a field day going around commenting on the fact that she was born a boy and will die a boy on every post about her. A dead teenage girl. Naturally, while sticking to their guns that they’re doing this all in the name of protecting women and children, of course. I’m sure Brianna feels very protected right now. 

This behaviour comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone with access to the internet. Trans people are the latest political punching bag, used by the Tories and their media mates to deflect and distract the British public.

In 2020, while our country was being failed during a global pandemic by our prime minister who was breaking the law and partying, The Times published 324 articles about trans issues. Read that again. Almost one a day. 

It’s not even an exaggeration that every week, there’s a new debate in the media about trans people in the UK. Whether we should be allowed to use the toilet, play sports, or  – in this case –be respected in death.

This week last year, the media was debating Adele’s comments in her Brit’s acceptance speech. Some claimed that transgender people were “cancelling” Adele for saying she was proud to be a woman. I wrote a piece for GLAMOUR about it because I hadn’t heard a single trans person I know in real life or on Instagram comment on it  – never mind care about it. After extensive research, I found three whole tweets, one of which was from a blank profile (not necessarily trans) and another from a gay man (definitely not trans). 

While this syndicated article was going viral globally, painting us out to be snowflakes who get upset at everything, every trans person I know was busy being upset about something actually upsetting: Shay. 

Shay, a trans friend of mine, was the sweetest person you’d ever meet, had taken his own life because life as a trans person wasn’t worth living. They couldn’t take the abuse anymore. 

“Trans people have been so dehumanised by the press – they see us as nothing more than someone to argue with.”

I feel a similar feeling around Brianna’s death to what I felt this time last year about Shay. It’s a feeling I can’t put into words. A mix of disgust, hurt and numbness. Trans people have been so dehumanised by the press they see us as nothing more than someone to argue with, or rather argue at. 

Where is the humanity for our community, a community at the bottom of the social food chain? Where is the compassion for these dead teenagers, our brothers and sisters?

My mate, journalist and author, Owen Jones, posted about this on Twitter, referencing the (much debated) Gender Recognition Act and the fact that Brianna will be documented as male on her death certificate, which makes me feel physically sick.

What makes me feel even sicker is what the ‘gender-critical’ mob get out of reminding us in the comments of posts about Brianna. They froth at the mouth with excitement to let us know that Brianna’s death certificate is going to say male, something they’ve told me about myself many a time.