Mayor Declares Transfemicide Emergency Amid Deadly Weekend
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been widely mocked after declaring a Transfemicide State of Emergency, a move that came as the city experienced a violent weekend in which over three dozen people were shot, including six fatalities. The declaration, first made in 2024, was reaffirmed by Johnson in a social media post on Sunday, June 21, 2026, drawing sharp criticism from residents and observers who questioned the prioritization of transgender issues over the broader gun violence crisis.
Johnson's Post and Public Backlash
In his X post, Johnson wrote: “Since declaring a Transfemicide State of Emergency, our administration has strengthened the City’s capacity to support LGBTQ+ Chicagoans. This framework builds on that work by centering the voices and lived experiences of trans Chicagoans to chart a path toward a safer, more connected city.” He also shared a Chicago Sun-Times article detailing a report from a mayoral working group that describes violence against transgender women, particularly Black and Indigenous trans women, as endemic. However, the report does not specify the number of trans women killed in Chicago and includes suicides under its definition of “transfemicide.” According to the Chicago Sun-Times, only 14 transgender individuals from Chicago were killed between 2016 and 2024.
The backlash was immediate. One X user responded: “Black Chicagoans are dying in the streets by the dozens every month in gang violence, drive-bys, and retaliation. Prioritize the majority of residents dying from everyday gun violence.” Another wrote: “Real Chicagoans are getting gunned down in the streets every week, but your big priority is another task force for 0.5% of the population? Focus on stopping the actual bloodbath instead of woke word salad. Chicago doesn’t need more identity politics. It needs law and order.” A third user suggested: “Why don’t you declare a State of Emergency for all of the victims of homicide in Chicago? Would it be a bad thing if protecting transgenders also protected the rest of your citizens?”
Violent Juneteenth Weekend
The declaration came on the heels of a violent Juneteenth holiday weekend. According to CBS News, at least eight people were killed and 39 others were injured in shootings across the city. Victims ranged in age from 14 to 70, police reported. The day before his transfemicide post, Johnson expressed being “heartbroken” by the violence in a separate X post: “What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones. Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable.”
Transgender Victim and Federal Reaction
So far in 2026, one transgender woman has been killed in Chicago. Davonta Curtis, 31, was beaten to death by her 24-year-old boyfriend Deandre Bell, according to WGN. Bell faces first-degree murder charges. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the violence, posting on Truth Social: “Lots of Killing going on in Chicago. Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!”
