Through the Static

By Gray Trammel

University of Washington (UW) students organized a memorial and rally at Kane Hall on May 13 to honor Juniper Blessing, a Transgender student murdered in off-campus student housing, and after Turning Point USA (TPUSA) canceled a controversial anti-trans event located on campus. Speakers described the gathering as a memorial for Blessing as well as a show of community with Transgender students navigating grief and feelings of oppression within the LGBTQ+ community. Some students have expressed that the planned TPUSA event heightened those concerns because of its timing so soon after Blessing’s death.

The rally consisted of chants, a memorial for Blessing, waving of Transgender Pride flags, and a call for action for TPUSA to stay off campus, as the anti-trans speaking event was their second one in the span of several weeks. Some of their chants included:

TPUSA’s “Pick up the Mic” event featuring detransitioner Chloe Cole quickly grew widespread criticism from students and community members; students were planning to protest Cole and her far-right, anti Trans talking points. And after Blessing’s death, frustrations regarding the event grew. TtS broke news that the event had been cancelled due to an alleged “overwhelming” number of safety concerns. After Blessing’s murder, social media users began commenting on posts encouraging Transgender people to protect themselves by exercising their Second Amendment rights.

Blessing was only 19, and her death sent shock through the campus community, specifically among Transgender students and their allies. UW Students for a Democratic Society framed the memorial and rally as a denouncement and rejection of anti-trans organizing and a call for community. Concerns about the safety of the LGBTQ+ students at the university were raised, and a petition to increase the safety on the campus was launched by a concerned student.

“With crime rates escalating at an alarming pace in the U-district, the anxiety among students and their families has reached new heights. This fear is justified by statistics showing a significant uptick in crime over recent years, backed by reports from the Seattle Police Department and UW Campus Safety Statistics, which highlight a concerning trend of violent crimes occurring in close proximity to the campus,” according to the petition. “To address this urgent matter, we are calling on university administration and city officials to implement comprehensive safety measures that will ensure the well-being of all students. This includes increasing the presence and response of campus security and law enforcement in the area, installing additional lighting to deter criminal activity, enhancing surveillance through more cameras, ensuring proactiveness among safety officials to investigate crime reports, and organizing community safety workshops to educate students about personal safety practices.”

At the time of reporting, the petition had a total of 87 signatures, and council members Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Eddie Lin signed-on, as did Mayor Katie Wilson.

As the memorial concluded, students emphasized the need for continued support for Transgender classmates, and reflected on the broader tensions surrounding the repression of students, and the impact to community.