BREAKING🚨🏳️‍🌈 A 35‑year‑old Black trans woman, Marlow Trottie, was found shot to death in Louisiana — on a street where she should have been safe, days before her 36th birthday. The way police are talking about her says everything. On Monday morning, June 8, Marlow’s body was discovered in the 2400 block of Cummins Street in Alexandria, Louisiana. She had been shot, and authorities quickly ruled her death a homicide. She would have turned 36 on July 1 instead of a birthday, her community is now organizing memorials and demanding answers. Local officials initially identified Marlow using male name and pronouns, even as friends and LGBTQ+ advocates made it clear she was a Black trans woman. In reports shared by people who knew her, she’s described as “the sweetest person,” someone who deserved to be respected in life and in death not erased by lazy or hostile reporting. Right now, police say they are investigating, but there’s been no public confirmation of a suspect, no clear motive, and no hate‑crime designation. Advocates note that Black trans women are already among the most targeted groups for fatal violence in the United States, and each time authorities refuse to name who someone really was, it sends a message that their lives are disposable. In community posts and vigils, people are sharing Marlow’s chosen name, her photos, and her story. They’re pushing local media to correct misgendering, calling on Alexandria officials to treat the case with urgency, and reminding the wider world that she is not just a statistic she is at least the 16th reported Black trans woman killed this year, in a climate where anti‑trans hate is constantly being stoked. If you’re reading this, say her name correctly: Marlow Trottie. Center her identity. Share her story. And remember that respect after death isn’t symbolic it’s a test of whether our systems see Black trans women as fully human at all. If you appreciate Gay News, it would mean the world if you followed my page. Thank you for being here.