'Our trans youth are troubled': Nashville shooting sparks debate on identity and mental health issues in trans community
NASHVILLE, TENESSEE: Audrey Hale, 28, has been identified as a suspect in the Nashville shooting that happened at The Covenant School. Hale considers himself transgender and uses the pronoun he/him. The identity of the shooter has led to numerous discussions in society regarding the mental health of the trans community, their hormonal issues, etc.
He shot down six people including three children. The victims are Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, Cynthia Peak, Mike Hill, and Dr Katherine Koonce. However, the motive of the killings is not yet clear and the investigation of the case is still ongoing.
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What are the claims regarding mental health in the trans community?
Hale had significant issues with his parents as they were reluctant to accept the fact that he was gay and trans. Nashville Police Chief John Drake claimed that Hale has been taking treatments for emotional distress. Tennessee Republican representative Tim Burchett claimed, "Our trans youth are troubled. If they don't get the help they need, they can grow up to have some serious issues, but I obviously don't believe they'll all grow up to be shooters like this". Other than Hale, there are also other female-to-male transitioners who have been involved in other crimes. They include Maya 'Alec' McKinney, who took part in a shooting at a Denver, Colorado, school in May 2019, and Snochia Moseley, who killed three people at a Rite Aid warehouse in Aberdeen, Maryland, in September 2018. Meanwhile, the trans community claims that Hale's suspected killing has nothing to do with their mental health status but it is only about the availability of guns. "When hundreds of white men commit mass shootings, it's a 'societal problem,' but when one trans person commits a mass shooting, it's a 'trans problem',' said Alejandra Caraballo, a male-to-female trans clinical instructor at Harvard Law School, as per Daily Mail. Meanwhile, around 1.6 million transgenders committed suicide in the last few years. According to the Cleveland Clinic, "These mental health problems frequently relate to underlying issues and gender confusion, as well as the impacts of society's anti-trans discrimination. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, sadness and isolation." .
What are the issues regarding hormonal treatment?
It is still unclear if Hale has done any sex reassignment surgery. There are many campaigns against sex reassignment surgery. Genspect, one of such campaigns noted that "when females are given testosterone, their propensity for violence quickly increases." Some of the popular Republican lawmakers in Hale's home state are not in favor of the surgeries. Some of the major trans voices including Erin Reed are fighting back against the anti-trans voices to get access to treatments. Some trans activists also claim that their community is under attack and need to defend themselves, including with arms.
Is there a growing militancy among trans community?
Hale was heavily armed with two assault weapons and a handgun during the assault. However, he had a total of seven guns in possession which his family was not aware of. Several political figures, including Sen JD Vance, Rep Marjorie Taylor-Greene, and Donald Trump Jr, were among the personalities on social media who implicated the role of the shooter's transgender identity in the shooting. However, the Human Rights Campaign claimed in an official statement, “Every study available shows that transgender and non-binary people are much more likely to be victims of violence, rather than the perpetrator of it. Regardless of the reason for this shooting, the use of violence is reprehensible and we renew our call for common-sense gun safety," as per ABC News.