In a tangible move to counter the violence against transgender women in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order creating a Transfemicide Working Group, tasked with forging better safety strategies for the community. According to an announcement on Chicago's official website, the group will be working towards actionable solutions to what Mayor Johnson described as a "somber reality" for the city's transgender population, particularly highlighting the plight of Black trans women.
The newly formed group is part of a broader effort by the Johnson administration to implement community safety solutions that directly engage those affected by such violence. With its establishment, the city hopes to collaborate closely with community advocates and leaders. Mayor Johnson stated, "With establishment of the Transfemicide Working Group, the City of Chicago commits to protect our trans community through direct partnership with the communities most impacted." Affected by disproportionate rates of violence, the transgender women of the city may soon see policies and support systems that better speak to their lived experiences.
This collaboration includes the Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and the Chicago Police Department, who is expected to oversee the formation of the group by February 2025. A diverse collection of departmental representatives from across the city will analyze and recommend changes to policies, training, and procedures, with a particular focus on the BIPOC transgender and gender-diverse population, the Executive Order 2024-2 details.
35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa praised the Mayor's initiative, expressing his support. "We are sincerely grateful to Mayor Johnson’s Administration for the commitment to establish the Transfemicide Working Group through an official Executive Order 2024-2," he told Chicago's news page. Joining the voices of the LGBTQ community, the Working Group intends to inform preventative measures and field responses necessary to tackle the city's violent challenges.
Mayor Johnson's administration is doubling down on efforts to protect vulnerable communities by partnering with several city departments, including the Department of Family and Support Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health. This multi-departmental engagement is said to reinforce the mayor's approach to not only community safety but also broader public welfare and engagement efforts in Chicago.
