One Tragedy Doesn’t Define the Trans Community

Stop Blaming Trans People for One Shooting

I was reading on Facebook tonight about the tragic Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis. The shooter, Robin Westman, identified as transgender. Already, some people are using that to attack the entire trans community.

Let’s be crystal clear: gender identity has zero to do with whether someone becomes violent. There are good people who are gay, straight, or transgender—and there are bad people in every group. That’s humanity. Using one person’s actions to demonize a whole community is wrong.

I don’t care how you feel about transgender people personally—they still deserve dignity and the chance to live their lives. They have the right to make their own choices without being scapegoated for someone else’s actions.

Let’s get real: the overwhelming majority of mass shooters in the U.S. are male, most often white cisgender men. According to the National Institute of Justice and The Violence Project, 97.7% of mass shooters are male, and 52.3% are white. Data from Ammo.com also shows that white men commit over half of all mass shootings, with a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, transgender individuals account for a tiny fraction of mass shootings. The Gun Violence Archive found that transgender suspects were behind just 0.11% of U.S. mass shootings in the past decade, and only about 2% of school shootings. Out of more than 200 mass shootings studied, only one involved a transgender person, according to The Daily Beast. That’s not a smear—that’s a statistic.

Some politicians and pundits have even seized on Westman’s gender identity to push anti-trans narratives. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, used the tragedy to call for banning gender-affirming care. That kind of scapegoating isn’t just wrong—it’s dangerous.

But let’s be honest: trans people aren’t “the problem.” The real issues are gun violence, lack of mental health support, and toxic politics that feed off every tragedy. Trans people don’t deserve to be dragged through the mud because one person acted violently—and it’s insultingly obvious that white cis men commit most shootings without being labeled “a threat.”

In short: Don’t let this tragedy be weaponized against a whole community. Trans rights are human rights. And turning them into a punching bag? That’s absolute malarkey.

I may not fully understand what it feels like to be transgender, but I do know what it feels like to be looked at differently because you’re “different.” As a disabled person, I’ve seen how people misrepresent what they don’t understand. It’s not the same situation, but the lesson is the same: in the end, we’re all just people. Misrepresentation is wrong, and using fear or ignorance to attack someone’s identity is even worse. We owe each other better than that.

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Vicki Andrada's avatar

By Vicki Andrada

A Little About Me I was born on February 25, 1972, in Flint, Michigan, at McLaren Hospital. I lived in Michigan until I was almost 40, then moved to Tampa, Florida, where I stayed for seven years. After that, I relocated to Arizona, living with friends in Glendale and then in Phoenix for about eight months. I spent two years total in Arizona before returning to Florida for a little over a year. Eventually, I moved back to Michigan and stayed with my parents for six months. In May of 2022, I moved to Traverse City, Michigan, where I’ve been ever since—and I absolutely love it. I never expected to return to Michigan, but I’m so glad I did. I was born blind and see only light and shadows. My fiancé, Josh, is also blind. We both use guide dogs to navigate independently and safely. My current Leader Dog is Vicki Jo , a four-year-old Golden Retriever/Black Lab mix. She’s my fourth guide dog—my first two were Yellow Labs, and my last two have been Golden/Lab crosses. Josh’s guide dog, Lou, came from the same organization where I got my previous dog—now known as Guide Dogs Inc., formerly Southeastern Guide Dogs. Josh and I live together here in Traverse City, and we both sing in the choir at Mission Hill Church , which was previously known as First Congregational Church. A lot of people still know it by that name. We both really enjoy being part of the choir—it’s something that brings us a lot of joy. I also love to read, write, and listen to music—especially 60s, 70s, and 80s music. Josh and I enjoy listening to music together and watching movies, especially when descriptive video is available. We also like working out at the YMCA a couple of times a week, which has been great for both our physical and mental health. I’m a big fan of Major League Baseball. My favorite team is the Detroit Tigers, followed by the Tampa Bay Rays and the Colorado Rockies. In the NFL, I cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and San Francisco 49ers—and I still have a soft spot for the Detroit Lions, especially now that they’ve started turning things around. I’m passionate about politics and history. I consider myself a progressive thinker, though I also try to take a balanced, middle-of-the-road approach. I’m a follower of Jesus Christ and a strong believer in respecting people of all faiths. I love learning about different religions, cultures, and belief systems. Writing is one of my biggest passions. I haven’t published anything yet, but I’ve written several books that are still in progress. Writing helps me express myself, explore new ideas, and connect with others through storytelling. Thanks for stopping by and getting to know a little about me.

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