The name Elisa Rae Shupe brings up different associations depending on when you first heard it. If you were out in 2016, you remember Shupe as the ex-military member and first trans activist to receive a legally recognized nonbinary gender marker on official forms, an important early victory. If you came out (and came online) slightly later, in 2019, you remember Shupe as an early public detransitioner who allowed TERFs to overtake their narrative and force them back into the closet.
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Now, Shupe’s story has taken yet another turn. A few weeks ago, Shupe committed suicide, with a note explaining their reasons.
“F*ck you America,” Shupe’s note began. “I don’t want the military decorations and honors you awarded me…I don’t want your flag anywhere near my body, remains, or ashes.”
Rightfully railing against the racism and anti-trans agenda of the country they served, Shupe ends on a defiant note. “You cannot erase non-binary and transgender people because you give birth to more of us each day.
Shupe’s loss is a complex one for a community still reeling from daily attacks on our rights and personhood in this country. They made missteps in their life, but their courage is something we’ll never forget.
