Laverne Cox contemplated suicide, and had even planned out her note.
The 46-year-old actress revealed she once battled with suicidal thoughts in an open letter posted on Twitter, which she was prompted to write after discovering that in several homicide cases involving transgender victims, reports would reference the victim using their birth name and gender, rather than the one they identify with.
Laverne – who was the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy – wrote in a lengthy note on the site: "Many years ago, when I was contemplating suicide, I was planning to have a note in my pocket at the time of my death and several other notes in my home which would state my name, preferred gender pronouns and that I should be referred to as a woman in my death. My note would be clear that I should be referred to as Laverne Cox only, not any other name.
"Being misgendered and deadnamed in my death felt like it would be the ultimate insult to the psychological and emotional injuries I was experiencing daily as a black trans woman in New York City, the injuries that made me want to take my own life.
"I am angered, saddened and enraged that the police in Jacksonville, Florida, and other jurisdictions don’t have policies in place to respect the gender identities of trans folks when they have been MURDERED. This misgendering and deadnaming also impedes the investigations into these murders. Injustice on top of injustice! (sic)"
The ‘Orange Is The New Black’ star branded the misgendering as "an act of violence", and thanked ProPublica – who published the report which uncovered the issue – for their work.
She concluded in her message: "I have been saying for years that misgendering a trans person is an act of violence. When I say that, I am referring to cultural and structural violence. The police misgendering and deadnaming trans murder victims as a matter of policy feels like a really good example of that cultural and structural violence.
"Thank you ProPublica for this in depth report on this issue. Please read and share and join with local trans organizations demanding that police do better on this issue and many others. (sic)"
Laverne Cox contemplated suicide
