Murder of a Transgender Teen - Second Trial Opens

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Gwen Smith
gwen@gwensmith.com

Ethan St. Pierre
Transfriendly@aol.com


SECOND ARAUJO TRIAL OPENS
Group urges media to avoid sensationalism, use legal name

HAYWARD, Calif., May 9, 2005 - The second trial in the death of transgender teenager Gwen Araujo opens today in Hayward, California. The Remembering Our Dead Project has asked members of the media to avoid sensationalizing this case, urging them to show respect and sensitivity towards the victim.

"Let's not forget that it is the defendants that are on trial, not Gwen Araujo," said Remembering Our Dead Project founder, Gwen Smith. "Too often she is blamed for her own death -- just for being herself."

Gwen Araujo was killed at a house party in Newark, California on October 3rd, 2002, after a third party revealed Araujo's birth gender. In 2004, the jury deadlocked on the sentence for defendants Jose Merel, Michael Magidson, and Jason Cazares, with the latter of the three achieving bail after the trial. A fourth suspect, Jaron Nabors, pled guilty to manslaughter charges, and testified against the other three.

The issue of what name to call Gwen Araujo has also been a sore spot for both the family and transgender activists, angry that the media continues to refer to Gwen by her birth name. This came to a head last Summer, when the teen's name was legally changed to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo.

"After all the family and others have done to preserve Gwen's preferred name, some in the media continue to frame her by her birth name, relegating what is now her legal name to an afterthought," said Mrs. Smith. "There is now no good reason to use her old name."

The Remembering Our Dead project <www.rememberingourdead.org> exists to honor individuals murdered as a result of anti-transgender hatred and prejudice, and draw attention to the issue of anti-transgendered violence. Remembering Our Dead is a project of Gender Education and Advocacy, Inc.