Trans Woman Attack Outside of Kohl's Shines Light on Police Bullying

Isn't it time to stop seeing bullying as something that just happens within school walls? What happens when we catch bullies in action among the grown-up set, in positions of authority -- like, say, the police force? We should call it out, speak up, and make it clear that bullying will not be tolerated, no matter who's doing the bullying.

A transgendered woman, Akasha Adonis, was attacked by a fellow shopper outside of a Kohl's department store in Jackson, Tennessee, on the day after Thanksgiving. Her treatment from the Jackson Police Department can be classified as nothing short of bullying and the behavior displayed by Kohl's employees was clearly neglectful.

Adonis and her mother were waiting outside of one of four Kohl's entrances just before 3 a.m., ready for those magic doors to open to embark upon a "Black Friday" shopping spree. A fight broke out when another woman shoved Adonis' mother aside to get through the open door, so Adonis naturally moved in to protect her mother. Then a male made his way into the frenzy and assaulted both Adonis and another woman at the doors. What happened next was horrifying. According to the Tennessee Equality Project's (TEP) blog, Grand Divisions, the man "hit Akasha and pulled out her hair ... then shoved his hand in her mouth with his thumb, tore three of her teeth out of socket, and broke her jaw as he forced Akasha to the ground." After that? The male assailant walked into the store to go shopping, as Kohl employees stood by and watched the scene unfold, greeting customers.

When the Jackson Police showed up and began questioning Akasha Adonis (who was obviously badly hurt), her mother, and the other woman attacked, they were initially respectful. But when Officer Ashley McCullar saw that her driver's license had a man's name, he turned his back, dismissed Adonis' story, and told other officers Adonis was the "He not She."

What's even more outrageous is that the police report claimed that Adonis was "put in his place" when the male assailant "defended himself." The officer told Adonis' mother, as Adonis's mouth was bleeding, her teeth ripped out, and her jaw broken, that it would take "several days" to write up the police report and get the surveillance tape by subpoena (which Kohl's own store personnel said was not necessary, by the way).

TEP's Jonathon Cole said the initial scuffle "did not seem to be motivated by gender bias." That's more than one can say about the Jackson Police Department's treatment of Adonis. According to Cole, Officer McCullar was not only rude and dismissive, but failed to thoroughly search for the man who attacked her. Kohl's has not acted much better. An employee's Facebook page message called Adonis "He/She/It," and thus far Kohl's has not responded adequately to the incident. Adonis and her mother have filed a complaint against the police officer and are trying to raise awareness of the insensitivity and bias in the department which results in harmful, discriminatory practices towards transgender people.

Cole has also said Adonis is considering filing a civil rights complaint. In the meantime, it's critical that we send the Jackson Police Department a message. Mistreatment and obvious bullying behavior on the part of police officers is unacceptable.

Join Tennessee grassroots organizations Tennessee Equality Project, the Nashville-based Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition, and others in letting the Mayor of Jackson and the Chief of the Jackson Police Department that mistreatment and bullying of transgender people is unacceptable. They must take swift action to hold Officer McCullar -- and the department -- acountable, and ensure cultural competency among its police force.

Photo credit: gigijn

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