This is the most dangerous time for young, black, trans women. No one knows that better than Alicia Love. Recently crowned Miss Trans D.C., Alicia love, was walking home from work on August 2nd when she was attacked. She sat down with Gaye Magazine about that night and how she narrowly escaped being the 15th murdered trans women.
THE ATTACK
Alicia Love was leaving her work, a gay bar named D.C. eagle when she was attacked by seven men. Men followed Alicia as she was walking down the street to the gas station that night. I asked her what was going through her head at the moment the men physically attacked her.
"Basically what happened was that I was targeted for being trans to keep it short. I told her that what happened to her could and probably would happen to another trans woman down the line. At that moment that they started following me I started panicking ' like oh my god I don't know what's going on, I don't know what to do.' So after that I started to run. I was really scared like, I thought I was going to die. A lot of trans women you know, don't get to see another day. Stuff like this happens every day and especially black trans women don't get the chance to tell the story.'
So you would think that is the whole story right? Alicia gets jumped and robbed. Except it's not. After taking blows and transphobic slurs the men grabbed her purse and Alicia ran to what she thought would be help. In the meantime, her attackers realized her money and other possessions were not in her purse, they were still with her, on her fanny pack. Alicia ran into the gas station where she gets a bite to eat and asked the man at the counter to help her. She explained that they were after her and begged him to hide her. But he didn't. Instead the men followed her into the gas station where she had proceeded to try and call the police. They beat her, again, in front of the man who had still refused to help her and watched her in silence.
STEPS NOW TAKEN
Alicia is one of the ones that lived. But that doesn't mean there isn't still a danger. I asked her what she has done now, since that attack two weeks ago.
"Well I have definitely gotten a mace and taser. I don't carry cash anymore. I don't really walk anywhere. I don't take the bus. After the experience, it's been very traumatic. I Lyft, Uber. I'm Lyfting everywhere now. I'm at the point I don't really want to be around people to eliminate anything that might happen."
Physical steps have been taken, but I asked Alicia was there any emotional backslide. Was she at all self-conscious about who she was? I was blown away and so proud of her answer.
"Actually no! It had actually been the opposite, now its like I don't care. The stuff i used to be self conscious about I don't care about. My life flashed before my eyes. I can do what, I can wear what I want , I don't care. I don't care .I can die any day so why be self conscious? I'm self confident now and I want to do so much to help others. I want to do more to help others especially for black, trans women."
STORY UPDATE
"The employee at the gas station has been fired. They released photos of 4 of the guys on camera who attacked me so people should share so people can know [what] they look like," Alicia said.
"I'm in the processes of suing the gas station, I'm trying to do as much as possible because this will not happen to anyone else. I'm gonna hit them where it hurts which is their pockets."