Another year, another escalation of the war against trans lives

So far this year, American Civil Liberties Union tracked 559 anti-LGBTQ bills, many of them targeting trans rights. Its website states, “While not all of these bills will become law, they all cause harm to LGBTQ people.” That demonization inspires lethal violence.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ organization, at least 30 transgender and gender non-conforming people have been killed across the country and in Puerto Rico this year. About 77 percent were people of color; 53 percent of them were trans women of color. The true numbers are often higher because victims are misgendered or “unnamed” — identified by a birth name they no longer use — in police reports and in the news.

For another tragic year, I will dedicate several of my columns this month to sharing the names and short stories of trans and gender non-conforming people taken too soon.

Kitty Monroe43, on January 1 in Phoenix: In an interview with “Tell From the Streets,” a YouTube series, Monroe talked about her love for making art. “I make beautiful things and they live for hours sometimes and sometimes they deteriorate immediately,” she said. “But the illusion of beauty is wonderful, and people will see what they want to see.”

Africa Parrilla García25, on February 2, in San Juan, Puerto Rico: Because García was mistaken in the initial news, it took weeks for her friends to learn that she had been killed. Anacaona Reyes told El Nuevo Día, a Spanish-language newspaper, that she felt “hopeless” after learning of García’s death. “It was like he killed me or a sister,” she said.

Right Torrence “Chevy” Hill35, Feb. 28 in East Point, Ga.: When she opened Evollusion, a full-service hair salon in Atlanta, Hill wanted it to be more than a place where clients could get their nails done or to get her nails done. He wanted to “cultivate a safe space where you can also achieve the affirming look and style that you want, and he did just that,” said Hill’s friend Yves Mathieu-East.

Diamond Cherish Brigman, 36, on March 16 in Houston: A native of Connecticut, Brigman was described by a friend as a person with “a lot of energy” who “was always smiling and personable.” She loved Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and Shakira and often posted family photos and childhood memories on social media.

Alexzia (Alex) Franco21, March 17, in Taylorsville, Utah: An obituary for Franco said he “lived his life without fear and was full of compassion for the people he loved. He supported those who needed a friend, a shoulder to cry on and you could always count on him to put a smile on your face. Alex loved without conditions or boundaries.”

Meraxes Medina24, March 20 in Los Angeles: Alisha Veneno, a friend, said Medina helped her be proud to be trans. “Meraxes pushed me out of my comfort zone and I loved that about her,” Veneno said in an interview with the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “We were just trying to survive. We were just trying to make it in life. We didn’t know what we wanted to do or where we wanted to go, but we wanted to go somewhere.”

Tee Arnold36, Hallandale Beach, Fla., on April 3: In a Tribute on Facebook to Arnold, Cece Gates wrote: “Thank you for always answering the phone when I was lost, for never being afraid to tell me when I’m wrong… Thank you for showing the world that there is nothing more good than being your true authentic self.”

River Nevaeh Goddard, 17, on April 5, in Stow, Massachusetts: In her obituary, Goddard was described as a “very creative and artistic” person who enjoyed writing music and as having “an amazing, outgoing personality”. He added: “Her sweet nature was matched only by her quick wit and silliness.”

Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow a @reneeygraham.