Just a few months ago, North Carolina was in the news for pushing a bill that would require transgender people to use the bathroom associated with their “natural” gender. Now, Cleveland police are reporting that 26-year-old Skye Mockabee, a transgender woman, was found dead face-down in a parking lot Saturday morning.
While one may not be directly affiliated with the other, it’s clear 2016 is the year that transgender issues have been brought to the forefront, and now they’re making front page news.
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Cleveland.com reports the owner of a local establishment found Skye in his parking lot in Cleveland’s Puritas-Longmead neighborhood. Her body was seen laying face-down with blood coming from her mouth, and was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m.
Originally identified as a man by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, it was only yesterday that officials identified Mockabee as transgender person.
Take a look at the parking lot where Skye was found below.
While authorities have not confirmed Mockabee’s death as a hate crime, her death is a wake-up call to Cleveland.
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