A trans woman lost both legs after her boyfriend pushed her on the Subway tracks

Last month, a Black trans woman was pushed onto the subway tracks by her boyfriend, a known abuser. She had to have both her legs amputated, and now friends of the 29-year-old New Yorker are pulling together to help her cover medical costs and protect her from further abuse at the hands of her attacker, Christian Valdez.

According to a statement from the New York City District Attorney, Valdez and the victim were at the Fulton St. station in Brooklyn when Valdez saw the oncoming downtown train coming and “threw his girlfriend towards the tracks.” When the police arrived, they found the woman under the train. “The victim was rushed to the hospital, where both of her legs had to be amputated. She also suffered from fractures to her ribs and a blood clot in her lungs.”

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This is not good.

It’s not new information that Black trans women are especially vulnerable to anti-trans violence as well as domestic abuse from intimate partners. Last year, 50% of all attacks on trans and gender-nonconforming individuals were perpetrated against Black trans women, as reported by the HRC. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, over 40% of Black women, both cis and trans, have been the victims of abuse at the hands of an intimate partner.

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Trans activist and creator Hope Giselle interviewed the victim after she had been hospitalized. “I was really focused on getting to a gender-affirming appointment,” she told Giselle. “That’s what my mind was set on, instead of distancing myself from that person.”

Currently, the victim is focusing on healing and raising funds for recovery through a GoFundMe set up for her by friends. “Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the systemic failures that perpetuate cycles of abuse and leave survivors vulnerable to further harm,” the fundraiser states. “It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive support systems and resources to protect and empower survivors on their path to recovery.”