A Transgender Woman Was Raped And Set On Fire, LGBT Community Is Demanding Justice

Hande Kader was a beloved member of the LGBT community in Turkey, but her status and lifestyle made many people think of her in a negative light. The transgender woman worked as a sex worker in Istanbul. She died earlier this month at the age of 23. She was raped, mutilated, and burned to death by a hate group. Now, the LGBT community is hoping justice will prevail in the aftermath of this killing. Keep reading to learn more about the life and death of Hande Kader.What are your thought on this murder story? Let us know in the comments section below.

Hande Kader. The LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community in Turkey faces some of the harshest treatment from the conservative attitude the country has against them. The community won’t stay quiet over Kader’s death though.

Hande Kader. “Hande was one of the nicest people in the world. She was very calm normally but also hyperactive. She always went to the LGBTI marches. She pursued a cause that she felt right until the end,” Kader’s roommate, Davut Dengiler, said, according to BBC.com.

Hande Kader. The victim was missing for a number of days. Dengiler held out hope that she was still alive; even when he was at the morgue to identify bodies.

Hande Kader. “I was about to leave the morgue. I felt a sense of lightness for not having found her there. At the last minute, a doctor there said, ‘There’s also a burned body - look at that as well.’ I did. I told them identifying features. They then looked at the computer, at the report. The doctor put his hand on my back and gave his condolences. I lost myself,” he revealed.

Hande Kader. According to her roommate, Kader was a staunch activist for the community, especially when her peers were hurt, incarcerated and even murdered. Because of this, the LGBTI community is prepared to hold a march in Istanbul over the murder.

Hande Kader. “She would go crazy when trans individuals were killed. She’d be so sad… She had been stabbed and beaten before. This didn’t happen only to Hande. It happens to all of them,” Dengiler said.

Hande Kader. Turkey has the highest murder rates of trans people in Europe. In fact, there’s a nation decree that restricts demonstrations like the one expected to occur in the wake of Hande’s murder.

Hande Kader. While the LGBTI community only had themselves to rely on for support in the past, Hande’s death has inspired famous Turkish figures to raise awareness about the atrocities the community faces. It’s still not a big difference, though.

Hande Kader. “We are viewed not as people who can integrate into society but as the dirt of society. What grabs our attention most when we are walking on the street are the looks that see us as sexual objects,” stated a gender-neutral LGBTI person, Kemal Ordek.

Source : rebelcircus.com