HRC Mourns EJ Boykin aka Novaa Watson, Black Transgender Man Killed in Lynchburg, Virginia

HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of EJ Boykin aka Novaa Watson, a 23-year-old Black transgender man who was killed in Lynchburg, Virginia on June 14. Boykin’s death is at least the 29th violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. We say “at least” because too often these deaths go unreported — or misreported.

According to Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, “EJ was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland but recently lived in Lynchburg. EJ was studying at Morgan State University. It appears EJ was the parent of a young child, who may have been present at the scene of the shooting, but was uninjured. EJ just celebrated his 23rd birthday on June 10.”

Boykin’s friend Torri Chippe said, “He was loved and like[d] by everyone. He was one of those people that was just good vibes and energy.”

EJ’s death marks the fifth trans man killed this year, and yet another death of a Black trans person. The level of fatal violence we’ve recorded this year is higher than we’ve ever seen. All of these individuals deserved to live. We must strike at the roots of racism and transphobia, and continue to work toward justice and equality for trans and gender non-conforming people.”

Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative

HRC recorded 44 deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in 2020, more than in any year since we began tracking this violence in 2013.

According to the Lynchburg Police Department, Boykin was found shot in front of a retail store on Fort Avenue and was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he later died. Lynchburg police are currently investigating to determine if the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute. The department does not have a suspect in custody and is asking anyone with information to call (434) 455-6160 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900.

More than 10,000 hate crimes in the U.S. involve a firearm each year, which equates to more than 28 each day, according to a 2020 report from HRC, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, Giffords Law Center and Equality Florida titled “Remembering and Honoring Pulse: Anti-LGBTQ Bias and Guns Are Taking Lives of Countless LGBTQ People.” The report also notes a marked increase in anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, especially against transgender people. According to the 2017-2019 Transgender Homicide Tracker, three-fourths of confirmed homicides against transgender people have involved a gun, and nearly eight in 10 homicides of Black trans women involve a gun. Further, advocates saw a 43% increase in the formation of anti-LGBTQ hate groups in 2019.

In an injustice compounding this tragedy, Boykin was misgendered in some media and police reports. Anti-transgender stigma is exacerbated by callous or disrespectful treatment by some in the media, law enforcement and elected offices. According to HRC research, it is estimated that approximately three-quarters of all known victims were misgendered by the media and/or by law enforcement. In the pursuit of greater accuracy and respect, HRC offers guidelines for journalists and others who report on transgender people. HRC, Media Matters and the Trans Journalists Association have also partnered on an FAQ for reporters writing about anti-trans violence.

At the state level, transgender and gender non-conforming people in Virginia are protected from discrimination in education, housing, employment and public spaces. Virginia explicitly includes both sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics in its hate crimes law. While recent weeks have seen some gains that support and affirm transgender people, we are also currently facing anti-LGBTQ attacks at many levels of government, with more than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country, more than 120 of which directly target transgender people. In May, 2021 set a record as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history.

We must demand better from our elected officials and reject harmful anti-transgender legislation at the local, state and federal levels, while also considering every possible way to make ending this violence a reality. It is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender women of color, especially Black transgender women. The intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive, so we must all work together to cultivate acceptance, reject hate and end stigma for everyone in the trans and gender non-conforming community.

In order to work towards this goal and combat stigma against transgender and non-binary people, HRC has collaborated with WarnerMedia on a PSA campaign to lift up their voices and stories. Learn more and watch the PSAs here.

HRC has also launched the “Count Me In” campaign to encourage everyone, LGBTQ people and allies, to get loud, get visible and spread awareness on behalf of transgender and non-binary people. The more people who show they care, including allies and trans and non-binary people who speak up for the most marginalized in our community, the more hearts and minds we will change. Learn more and take action at hrc.org/CountMeIn.