Indya Moore honours murdered trans women at New York Fashion Week

"It’s hard to celebrate being celebrated for being myself during a time when people like me are being murdered for being themselves.”

Indya Moore

Indya Moore used fashion to make a powerful statement about the murder of trans women of colour. Source: Getty Images North America

Trans model and actress Indya Moore has given a masterclass in how to use your platform for good, walking the red carpet wearing jewellery and accessories featuring photographs of the 17 trans women of colour who have been murdered in the United States so far in 2019.

Moore, who plays Angel on FX series Pose, was attending the annual Fashion Media Awards as part of New York Fashion Week, accepting the honour of Cover of the Year for Elle’s history-making June 2019 issue.

“As you all know - or not - I am black and I am trans,” Moore told the crowd.

“Some of you may be uncomfortable with the politics of my speech. And I won’t apologise for that, because my life is politics."

They continued: "Right now in the Supreme Court, they’re voting on whether or not trans people can access employment, shelter, and healthcare in the same ways that you all have access. It’s hard to celebrate being celebrated for being myself during a time when people like me are being murdered for being themselves.”
Wearing a gown by Oscar de la Renta, Moore wore long earrings, created by stylist Ian Bradley and jewellery designer Areeayl Yoseefaw, which featured tiny framed photographs of the first 16 black trans women murdered in 2019 - while carrying a larger framed photo of 17-year-old Bailey Reeves, who was murdered on September 2 in the US state of Maryland.

“On this day that I’m celebrated and awarded for being visible, I decided to bring them with me," Moore said in reference to the jewellery.

"I’m wearing them on my ears as earrings. Just like me these women dare to exhaust their freedom to exist by being visible; however, instead of being celebrated, they were punished for it.”
Moore also used their acceptance speech to remind the audience that the average life expectancy for trans women in the US is only 35-years-old.

Taking to social media, jewelry designer Yoseefaw of Beads Byaree celebrated Moore's advocacy.

"In their hour of celebration they put their trans sisters in the forefront," the designer wrote.

"They spoke for those who cannot and became a light for everyone. I am both honoured [and] charged by this to continue creating, speaking up, standing up and breaking the boundaries of invisible divides between us."

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By Samuel Leighton-Dore


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