A transgender woman made strong statements against CNN and spoke for trans people during the network's LGBTQ town hall meeting Thursday.
Blossom Brown made her statements after taking the mic from a woman who was asking a question to Texas Representative Beto O'Rourke.
"Black transgender women are being killed in this country, and CNN you have erased Black trans women. Black trans women are dying. Our lives matter," Brown said. "I'm an extraordinary Black trans woman. I deserve to be here."
CNN's Don Lemon then took the mic and tried to defend the network.
"Let me telling you something. The reason that we are here is to validate people like you," Lemon said.
Brown, however, continued to express her frustration.
"Your actions have to speak louder than words," Brown said. "Not one trans woman has taken the mic tonight. Not one trans man has taken the mic tonight. Show me. Show me."
Lemon said he is proud to have Brown at the town hall meeting, but she wasn't buying it.
"That's what anti-Blackness looks like, the erasure of trans Black people," she said. "I'm here, we're here in this room. Please give us that opportunity."
Brown then went to Twitter to explain her cause furthermore.
"The one thing I want to see out of all this is a Townhall on Trans Issues," Brown said. "I want trans people from across the nation to come and have their voices and concerns heard for these candidates."
Brown also tagged the Human Rights Campaign on Twitter, urging them to help trans people get their voices heard.
The one thing I want to see out of all this is a Townhall on Trans Issues! I want trans people from across the nation to come and have their voices and concerns heard for these candidates! @HRC
@AlphonsoDavid can we make this happen? It’s time for ALL trans voices to be heard!— Blossom C. Brown (@BlossomCBrown) October 11, 2019
Brown added that she is fighting for more than herself.
"This is bigger than me," she said. "My Black trans sisters are being killed in this Country and we will no longer be ignored. Our Blackness AND Transness matters."
LISTEN????????TO????????ME! This is bigger than me! My BLACK trans sisters are being killed in this Country and we will NO LONGER be ignored! OUR BLACKNESS AND TRANSNESS MATTERS! #BlackTransLivesMatter
pic.twitter.com/twnfnNOdO8— Blossom C. Brown (@BlossomCBrown) October 11, 2019
Chants of "Trans Lives Matter" also broke out during the town hall, leading to a response from host Anderson Cooper.
"There is a long and proud history in the Gay and Lesbian and Transgender community of protests and we applaud them for their protests," Cooper said. "They are absolutely right to be angry and upset at the lack of attention, particularly in the media, on the lives of transgender [people]."
