On the night of Saturday, 17 October, trans woman defender of LGBTIQ+ rights Bárbara Simpson was killed with a sharp weapon in the Emiliano Zapata residential area of Acapulco, Guerrero.
Bárbara, also known as “Barby”, was recognized for her commitment defending the rights of sex diverse people, and for active participation in actions to demand their full recognition as rights-holders. Her killing is an irreparable loss for her family, friends and the movements to which she belonged, as well as a grave expression of the violence that trans people and those who defend their rights face.
The National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Mexico joins the embodiment of support for her family, friends and compañeras from the movements in which she participated. We express our solidarity and accompaniment in this situation.
We demand that authorities conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation with due diligence, taking into account Bárbara’s gender identity and her work defending human rights as relevant lines of inquiry, in order to shed light on the facts, identify those responsible and guarantee access to justice. The investigation must be free of prejudice and discriminatory stereotypes, and prevent the revictimization of Bárbara, her family and those close to her.
We demand immediate holistic protection measures for trans women defenders and LGBTQI+ rights defenders, who face risks due to their identity, gender expression or rights defense work. We also demand effective actions to prevent, address and eradicate violence motivated by prejudice, and to ensure that women defenders can carry out their work in conditions of safety, dignity and freedom.
The transfemicide of Bárbara Simpson requires an institutional response that is not limited to shedding light on the facts, but that addresses the violence and discrimination that place the lives of trans people and those who defend their rights at risk.
We continue to embody support for those who today demand justice for Bárbara.