Another Trans Life Taken too Soon: Aidelen Evans

Welp, we’re over it. We’re over the countless senseless acts of violence toward trans individuals that have been resulting in death. At least 30 people who belong to the transgender community have lost their lives this year to violence and bigotry. Earlier this year a Black, transgender woman, Aidelen Evans, was found dead in Fort Arthur, TX. For months, her cause of death remained unknown but now has been ruled a homicide. Her remains had been discovered in the Canal and weren’t identified for days. 

Evans’ family last saw her alive in February. During her last few months of life, she was experiencing homelessness. Although Evans’ grandmother, Lois Balka, hadn’t always gotten along with her granddaughter, she was beyond devastated and shocked such tragedy would take her grandchild’s life. She told KBMT back in March, “This is heartbreaking; I don’t care what nobody has to say. Nobody should have this. Nobody, no parent, should have to go through this.”

Initially, the Port Arthur Police Department listed the death of Aidelen Evans as “suspicious,” and the autopsy results proved inconclusive. Only after Evan’s family requested a second autopsy, the police now suspect Evans fell victim to foul play. Now her case has been transferred for further investigation to the Beaumont Police Department. 

One unfortunate and sad occurrence in trans homicide cases is the use of deadnames—using their dead birth name instead of their correct current one. In most of the media coverage surrounding her demise Evans has continuously been misgendered or deadnamed. Media Matters released a 2020 report highlighting a shocking statistic that two of every three victims of fatal, anti-trans violence are referred to by a name and gender that does not match their lived experience.

Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Transgender Justice Initiative, says in a statement, “The loss of another Black, transgender woman is heartbreaking and infuriating. Aidelen did not deserve to have her life taken from her—none of the transgender and nonbinary people who have been killed deserved to have their lives cut short.”