The unsolved murder of transgender woman Mesha Caldwell

By Kiran Moodley-4 Jun 2018

2017 was one of the deadliest years for transgender people in the United States.

At least 28 murders were reported by the Human Rights Campaign, the worst on record. Many in the LGBT community fear the struggle for acceptance has taken a step backwards under President Trump. His administration has already tried to ban transgender people from the military and scrapped official protections for transgender students.

Furthermore, in states like Mississippi, legislation has been introduced that allows organisations and individuals to not serve, marry or employ LGBT people based on their religious convictions. And more recently, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Colorado baker, who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex marriage couple because of a religious objection.

Activists say transgender women in the South are at greatest risk. Kiran Moodley has been to Mississippi to find out more about one murder – which still remains unsolved more than one year on.