India Monroe was a transgender woman. The twenty-nine-year-old lived in Newport News, apparently with a male friend, Mark Gray, who was 37. On December 21, they were both found dead in their home. Police say there was no sign of forced entry.

The Tidewater district medical examiner said the cause of Monroe's death was multiple gunshot wounds and they ruled the death a homicide. The Newport News police department said they're currently investigating Monroe's death as a domestic incident, not a hate crime.

We are only now hearing about this because all news reports and official documents misgendered India and deadnamed her. Her transness was eradicated.

Magen Shannel was friends with Monroe and attended Monroe's funeral on Jan. 3. She said that Monroe was buried under her birth name and made to look male. Her hair had been cut, and she wore a suit. Brittany Marquis, who attended high school with Monroe and knew her before her transition, saw a picture from the funeral and said gloves were placed over Monroe's hands, as well.

I know for a fact Monroe would not want to be buried that way. She'd want to have her nails done, hair done, looking amazing, because that's what she liked.

--Marquis

William Bailey, 35, told Mic Monroe identified as a woman since at least 2009, though he wasn't sure when she first began to transition. Marquis said Monroe was very petite and short — about 5 feet, 2 inches. Nearly two years ago, they did their hair and nails together before Monroe went on a date. Marquis said she did not know whether Monroe was open about being transgender with her entire family.

India is now counted as the 27th transgender person murdered in 2016.

Mey Rude of Autostraddle writes this:

If we’re going to claim to be allies and sisters and lovers and friends of Black and brown trans women, we can’t just only talk about them when they get murdered. That’s not really doing anything to help them. We need to hire Black and brown trans women, we need to pay Black and brown trans women, we need to listen to Black and brown trans women. I’m a trans Latina but I have a lot of privilege because of how light my skin is, but it pierces my heart every time someone from my twoc community is murdered like this. There are plenty of us who are ready and capable to take this problem on. But we need help. It’s hard for us to get jobs and housing and healthcare and just support. We need cis people and white people to step up and support us while we’re alive. Please, I’ve gotten to the point where I’m okay begging for help. If you search this site and the internet you’ll see Black and brown trans women telling you what you need to do. You need to listen.