By Joey Hernández and Zara Lockshin

Over 50 of us chanted as we marched: “No justice. No peace.” “No justicia. No paz.”

As we moved farther along Santa Monica Boulevard, we also chanted: “Black lives matter. Protect trans lives.”

Our message was clear: “What do we do when trans lives are under attack? Stand up fight back!”

Marchers came by the thousands to the annual L.A. Pride parade in West Hollywood, dressed in all the colors of the rainbow, wearing flowing feather boas, billowing tutus, and sequined hats and dresses. They cheered and danced through the streets, some on elaborate floats decorated with festive banners and flags.

Every block exploded in brilliant colors and came alive with music from marchers and spectators alike.

Yet those of us from the ACLU of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) wore black to emphasize that the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) equality is a continuing battle for racial, economic, and gender justice. It takes place against gross racial disparities in health, education, voting rights and incarceration.

Our shirts carried the same message as our chant: “Black Lives Matter” and “Protect Trans Lives.”

Spectators became supporters, showing their solidarity as they heard our message and were moved to echo our chant as we marched by. They cheered and raised their hands in support of our march for justice.

As part of a national civil rights and social justice organization, we recognize that we have a position of privilege within the movement and a unique capacity to focus public attention on the urgent issues facing genderqueer and trans communities of color, particularly the systemic violence against trans women of color.

In the L.A. Pride parade, ACLU SoCal demonstrated that we take this responsibility seriously.

This summer the Supreme Court will decided on the legality of same-sex marriage. Even though marriage equality is an important milestone in the movement toward full LGBT rights, 2015 has been a difficult year for the transgender community. Transgender people, particularly trans women of color, continue to experience structural and literal violence.

The BlackLivesMatter movement reports that the average income of a black trans person is less than $10,000 per year. More than 10 trans women have been murdered this year, including seven trans women of color. As we continue our work as an ally of the trans community, the ACLU calls for an end to violence against transgender people. We stand with those who say “Not one more.”

ACLU SoCal will continue to answer the demands of the trans community. We are proud to be a part of Trans Pride L.A., which celebrates the vibrancy and uniqueness of the city’s trans and genderqueer community.

At Trans Pride L.A., an event following the weekend of the L.A. Pride festival, ACLU SoCal will provide educational resources and training, including Know Your Rights guides for LGBTQ and transgender students, and a guide for using restrooms in California.

From Pride to Know Your Rights, ACLU SoCal is committed to partnering with the trans community and supporting trans organizations in their vital work.

For more information on ACLU SoCal’s work for LGBTQ equality, please visit https://www.aclusocal.org/issues/lgbt-equality/ and the LGBTQ Student Rights Project.

The national ACLU has also developed resources for the trans community. See https://www.aclu.org/issues/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights.

Joey Hernández is community engagement & policy advocate at the ACLU of Southern California. Zara Lockshin works in the communications department at the ACLU of Southern California.

The news on Mother’s Day left her elated: she was pregnant with her first child. But Monserrat Ruiz Cuevas’ celebration was short lived.
When she learned she was pregnant, she was in custody at the Mesa Verde Detention Center, an immigration facility in Bakersfield operated by GEO Group, Inc. Within days Monserrat became ill and was taken to a hospital for urgent medical care.

Despite the fact that she was pregnant, GEO staff shackled her—handcuffs, ankle cuffs, and waist chain—for the trip to the hospital in a downpour. While getting into the vehicle, Monserrat tripped on the shackles and fell hard on her stomach, unable to break her fall. The very next day, Monserrat began bleeding heavily. Yet, GEO staff handcuffed her while transporting her to the hospital.

Once there, her worst fears were confirmed. She had lost her baby.

Shackling pregnant women is absolutely inhumane. It is also a clear violation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies and Congress’ directive prohibiting the use of force and restraints on pregnant women. ICE’s detention policies bar restraining pregnant women, including during transportation, absent “extraordinary circumstances that render restraints absolutely necessary.” As these policies recognize, shackling can be humiliating, painful and dangerous.

There was no reason to restrain Monserrat at all, much less fully shackle a pregnant woman experiencing severe medical symptoms. She fled Mexico to escape the horrific violence there, and has no criminal background whatsoever. Yet GEO staff placed her in chains. And, tragically, the exact danger that ICE’s policy against shackling is designed to protect against–injury to the woman and risk to her pregnancy–was realized in Monserrat’s case.

A month after apprehending Monserrat—and weeks after she suffered the tragic loss of her child—ICE finally agreed to release her on June 11. Monserrat’s release will help ensure that she will receive the care she desperately needs. For weeks, GEO staff had denied her post-miscarriage medical care and critical mental health services. Sadly, Monserrat’s ordeal represents yet another instance of GEO’s failure to provide adequate medical care to immigration detainees in their care.

But nothing can bring back what she lost on that horrific day. To ensure that no woman ever suffers the same fate again, the ACLU is demanding that ICE move swiftly to ensure that all detention center staff are properly trained in the treatment of pregnant women. One woman has already suffered the devastating loss of a child while in ICE custody. No others should be forced to endure such horror.

Katie Traverso is a Stanford Law Fellow and Michael Kaufman is a staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California.